Shloka 23

Indratīrtha–Ādityatīrtha: Balarāma’s Ritual Bathing, Dāna, and Sacred-Historical Recollections

Devanagari script

पादौ प्रक्षिप्प सा पूर्व पावके चारुदर्शना | दग्धौ दग्धौ पुन: पादावुपावर्तयतानघ

Transliteration

pādau prakṣipya sā pūrvaṁ pāvake cārudarśanā | dagdhau dagdhau punaḥ pādāv upāvartayatānagha || niṣpāpa nareśa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Thiếu nữ xinh đẹp ấy trước hết thọc cả hai bàn chân vào lửa. Và khi chúng bắt đầu cháy, nàng cứ hết lần này đến lần khác đưa chân trở lại sâu trong ngọn lửa—hỡi đức vua vô tội, bậc trị vì không vết nhơ—vẫn kiên quyết bền lòng trong việc mình làm.

Word by Word

• पादौ: two feet
• पादौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• प्रक्षिप्य: having thrown/put (in)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), prior action

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पूर्वम्: first, beforehand
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• पावके: in the fire
• पावके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चारुदर्शना: she who is lovely to look at
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारुदर्शन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दग्धौ: burnt
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• दग्धौ: burnt (repeated for emphasis)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पुनः: again, further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• उपावर्तयता: turning/bringing (them) back/into (the fire), pushing further
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-वृत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निष्पाप: O guiltless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पाप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• a maiden (unnamed)
• fire (pāvaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights unwavering resolve in the face of pain, suggesting that certain vows or tests are pursued with determined persistence. Ethically, it invites reflection on the limits and purpose of self-endurance—whether it serves dharma and truth or becomes mere self-harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

An unnamed, beautiful maiden begins a fire-ordeal by placing her feet into the flames. As the burning intensifies, she repeatedly pushes/turns her feet back into the fire, continuing the act while the narrator addresses the listening king as 'sinless' and 'blameless.'