Shloka 23

Brāhmaṇa-pūjā, Haviḥ-dāna, and the Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī Saṃvāda

Chapter 34

Devanagari script

अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्न सुधाभक्षाश्न ये सदा । व्रतैश्न विविधैर्युक्तास्तान्‌ू नमस्यामि माधव

Transliteration

abbhakṣā vāyubhakṣāś ca sudhābhakṣāś ca ye sadā | vrataiś ca vividhair yuktās tān namasyāmi mādhava ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“噢，摩陀婆，我俯首于那些苦行者足下：他们坚守种种誓戒，或仅以水自持，或以气为食；也俯首于那些恒常只食祭祀之后所余供食之人。他们严整的克制与对神圣职责的敬畏，正是自制与清净的至高体现。”

Word by Word

• अब्भक्षाः: those whose food is water (water-eaters)
• अब्भक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्-भक्ष (अब्-भक्ष)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वायुभक्षाः: those whose food is air (living on air)
• वायुभक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु-भक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुधाभक्षाः: those who eat only sudhā/nectar (i.e., very pure/offerings-remnant food)
• सुधाभक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुधा-भक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• व्रतैः: with vows/observances
• व्रतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विविधैः: various, diverse
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• युक्ताः: endowed/engaged (in)
• युक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नमस्यामि: I bow to / I salute
• नमस्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (नमस्यति)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• माधव: O Mādhava (Krishna)
• माधव: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• माधव: O Mādhava!
• माधव: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse honors rigorous self-discipline: those who keep diverse vows and live with extreme restraint—subsisting on minimal sustenance or only sanctified remnants—are worthy of reverence, because their conduct exemplifies purity, control of desire, and commitment to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa), offering homage to exemplary vow-keepers and ascetics. The statement functions as praise of tapas and sacred observance within the Anuśāsana Parva’s broader instruction on righteous conduct.