उपस्पृश्योदकं सम्यङ्मुनिः स्थित्वा कृताञ्जलिः।
प्राचीनाग्रेषु दर्भेषु धर्मेणान्वेषते गतिम्॥
upaspṛśyodakaṁ samyaṅ muniḥ sthitvā kṛtāñjaliḥ
prācīnāgreṣu darbheṣu dharmeṇānveṣate gatim
upaspṛśya = touched; udakam = water as per scripture; samyak = with; muniḥ = the sage; sthitvā = sat on;1 kṛta-añjaliḥ = with his palms joined in supplication; prācīna-agreṣu = pointing to the east; darbheṣu = on grass; dharmeṇa = through dharma anveṣate = sought out; gatim = his goal.
The sage touched water as per scripture, sat on grass pointing to the east, and with his palms joined in supplication, sought out his goal through dharma.
[1]. We have opted for this rendition on the basis of the Vedānta-sūtra 4.1.7-11.
1 We have opted for this rendition on the basis of the Vedānta-sūtra 4.1.7-11.
The sage touched water as per scripture, that is, he performed ācamana (upasparśas tv ācamanam). He joined his palms together in supplication while honoring his spiritual master. He sought out the details of Lord Rāma’s pastimes through dharma, that is, the means to attain auspiciousness in the form of pleasing Lord Brahmā, for dharma is the means to achieve extraordinary benefit [1]. He sought out his goal—the details of the activities connected to Śrī Rāma and others through meditation in order to please Lord Brahmā.