Devanagari
ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा वीरो वर्षास्वासारषाण्मुनि: ।
आकण्ठमग्न: शिशिरे उदके स्थण्डिलेशय: ॥ ६ ॥
Verse text
grīṣme paṣca-tapā vīro
varṣāsv āsāraṣāṇ muniḥ
ākaṇṭha-magnaḥ śiśire
udake sthaṇḍile-śayaḥ
Synonyms
grīṣme
—
in the summer season
;
paṣca
—
tapāḥ — five kinds of heating
;
vīraḥ
—
the hero
;
varṣāsu
—
in the rainy season
;
āsāraṣāṭ
—
being situated within the torrents of rain
;
muniḥ
—
like the great sages
;
ākaṇṭha
—
up to the neck
;
magnaḥ
—
drowned
;
śiśire
—
in winter
;
udake
—
within water
;
sthaṇḍile
—
śayaḥ — lying down on the floor .
Translation
Following the principles of forest living and the footsteps of the great sages and munis, Pṛthu Mahārāja accepted five kinds of heating processes during the summer season, exposed himself to torrents of rain in the rainy season and, in the winter, stood in water up to his neck. He also used to simply lie down on the floor to sleep.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In the summer he placed fires around himself in the four directions, with the sun burning overhead. During the monsoon season he tolerated the torrents of rain. During the dewy season he stood up to his neck in cold water and slept on the earth.
Paṣcatapā means he places four fires around himself while the sun shone overhead. Āsāraśāṭ means he tolerated the showers. Sthaṇḍile śayaḥ means sleeping on the earth.
Purport
These are some of the austerities executed by the
jṣānīs
and
yogīs,
who cannot accept the process of
bhakti-yoga.
They must undergo such severe types of austerity in order to become purified from material contamination.
Paṣca-tapāḥ
refers to five kinds of heating processes. One is enjoined to sit within a circle of fire, with flames blazing from four sides and the sun blazing directly overhead. This is one kind of
paṣca-tapāḥ
recommended for austerity. Similarly, in the rainy season one is enjoined to expose himself to torrents of rain, and in winter to sit in cold water up to the neck. As far as bedding is concerned, the ascetic should be content with simply lying on the floor. The purpose for undergoing such severe austerities is to become a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as explained in the next verse.