Shloka 14

Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency

Mahābhārata 12.292

Devanagari script

गत: शुक्रत्वमुशना देवदेवप्रसादनात्‌ । देवीं स्तुत्वा तु गगने मोदते यशसा वृत:

Transliteration

gataḥ śukratvam uśanā devadeva-prasādanāt | devīṁ stutvā tu gagane modate yaśasā vṛtaḥ ||

Translation

قال باراشارا: بفضل إله الآلهة نال أُشَنا (Uśanā) حالَ شُكرا (Śukra). ثم إنه، بعد أن سبّح الإلهة، يفرح في السماء، مُحاطًا بالمجد والصيت. وتُبرز الآية أن النعمة الإلهية—المكتسَبة بالتوقير والثناء—تبلغ ذروتها في الرفعة ودوام الذكر.

Word by Word

• गतः: having attained / having gone to
• गतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• शुक्रत्वम्: the state of being Śukra (Śukra-hood)
• शुक्रत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्रत्व (शुक्र + त्व)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उशना: Uśanā (Śukra, the preceptor of Asuras)
• उशना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवदेवप्रसादनात्: from/through the favor (propitiation) of the God of gods
• देवदेवप्रसादनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेवप्रसादन (देवदेव + प्रसादन)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• गगने: in the sky
• गगने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मोदते: rejoices
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• यशसा: with fame
• यशसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वृतः: surrounded/covered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वृत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पराशर (Parāśara)
• उशना / उशनाḥ (Uśanā / Uśanāḥ)
• शुक्र (Śukra)
• देवदेव (Devadeva)
• देवी (Devī)
• गगन (gagana, the sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that exalted spiritual or cosmic status is attained through divine grace, which is cultivated by sincere reverence and praise; such devotion results in upliftment and enduring fame (yaśas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara narrates that Uśanā, by pleasing the supreme deity (Devadeva) and praising the Goddess, attains the condition of Śukra and rejoices in the heavens, surrounded by renown.