Shloka 78

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

काम देवा ऋषयश्च सत्त्वस्था नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

kāma devā ṛṣayaś ca sattvasthā nṛpasattama

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «إن الرغبة (كاما)—مع الآلهة والريشيّين—تقيم في السَّتْفَا (sattva)، يا أفضلَ الملوك.»

Word by Word

• कामाः: desires
• कामाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सत्त्वस्थाः: abiding in sattva (goodness)
• सत्त्वस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्वस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kāma (desire)
• devāḥ (gods)
• ṛṣayaḥ (seers)
• nṛpasattama (best of kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames desire (kāma) within an ethical-psychological taxonomy: it can be associated with sattva (clarity/goodness) and is discussed alongside revered authorities (gods and seers), implying that desire is not only a disruptive force but can be understood and regulated within dharma-oriented life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues an instructive discourse in Śānti Parva, addressing a king (“best of kings”) and classifying or describing inner impulses and exemplary beings (gods and sages) in relation to the guṇas—here stating their placement in sattva.