Shloka 60

Atithi-satkāra and the Consolation of Wise Counsel (अतिथिसत्कारः प्रज्ञानवचनस्य च पराश्वासनम्)

Devanagari script

नारायणो लोकहितार्थ वडवामुखो नाम पुरा महर्षिबभूव तस्य मेरी तपस्तप्यत: समुद्र आहूतो नागतत्तेनामर्षितेनात्मगात्रोष्मणा समुद्र: स्तिमितजलः कृतः स्वेदप्रस्यन्दनसदृशश्वास्य लवणभावो जनित:,एक समय भगवान्‌ नारायण लोकहितके लिये बडवामुख नामक महर्षि हुए। जब वे मेरुपर्वतपर तपस्या कर रहे थे, उन्हीं दिनों उन्होंने समुद्रका आवाहन किया; किंतु वह नहीं आया। इससे अमर्षमें भरकर उन्होंने अपने शरीरकी गर्मीसे समुद्रके जलको चंचल कर दिया और पसीनेके प्रवाहकी भाँति उसमें खारापन प्रकट कर दिया

Transliteration

ekasmin samaye bhagavān nārāyaṇo lokahitārthaṃ vaḍavāmukho nāma purā maharṣir abhavat | sa merau tapaḥ tapyataḥ samudra āhūtaḥ, na cāgāt | tena amārṣitena ātmagātroṣmaṇā samudrasya jalaṃ kṣobhayitvā stimitajalaḥ kṛtaḥ, svedaprasravaṇasadṛśaś ca tasmin lavaṇabhāvo janitaḥ |

Translation

Once, for the welfare of the worlds, the Blessed Nārāyaṇa assumed the form of a great sage named Vaḍavāmukha. While performing austerities on Mount Meru, he summoned the Ocean; but the Ocean did not come. Angered by this disregard, the sage, by the heat of his own body, disturbed the Ocean’s waters and made them still and heavy, and caused a salty quality to arise in them, like the flow of sweat. The episode underscores that even mighty powers are accountable to rightful summons, and that neglect of duty invites consequences that affect the common world.

Word by Word

नारायणःNarayana

लोकहितार्थम्for the purpose of the welfare of the world

वडवामुखःone having a mare's face (Vadavamukha)

नामby name

पुराformerly

महर्षिःgreat sage

बभूवbecame

तस्यof him

मेरौon (Mount) Meru

तपःausterity, penance

तप्यतःwhile (he) was performing austerity

समुद्रःthe ocean

आहूतःwas invoked/called

नnot

आगतःcame

तेनby that (reason)

अमर्षितेनangered, filled with indignation

आत्मगात्रोष्मणाby the heat of his own body

समुद्रःthe ocean

स्तिमितजलःhaving still/quiet water

कृतःwas made

स्वेदप्रस्यन्दनसदृशःlike the flowing of sweat

लवणभावःsaltiness; saline nature

जनितःwas produced

Speaker

तामिन्द्र उवाच गच्छ नहुषस्त्वया वाच्योथ<पूर्वेण मामृषियुक्तेन यानेन त्वमधिरूढ

Characters & Entities

Indra

Nahuṣa

Nārāyaṇa

Vaḍavāmukha (sage-form)

Samudra (Ocean)

Meru (mountain)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights dharma as responsiveness to rightful authority and duty: when a powerful entity (the Ocean) ignores a proper summons, the resulting imbalance harms the wider world. It also warns that tapas (ascetic power) can reshape nature, so it must be aligned with lokahita—welfare of all.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra recounts that Nārāyaṇa once took the form of the sage Vaḍavāmukha on Mount Meru. When the Ocean failed to appear after being summoned, the sage—angered—used the heat generated by austerity to affect the Ocean’s waters and to bring about their salty character.