Shloka 40

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini's Questions

Sanskrit

तपस्यन्तं नगेंद्रस्थं या वः क्षोभयते बलात् ।

दुर्वाससं मुनिश्रेष्ठं तां वो मन्ये गुणाधिकाम् ॥

Transliteration

tapasyantaṃ nagendrasthaṃ yā vaḥ kṣobhayate balāt | durvāsasaṃ muniśreṣṭhaṃ tāṃ vo manye guṇādhikām ||

Translation

تلك التي تُهيّجكم قسرًا، بينما الحكيم الأوّل دورفاساس يمارس التقشّف عند ربّ الجبال، أعدّها أسمى منكم في الفضيلة والامتياز.

Word by Word

• तपस्यन्तम्: performing austerities
• तपस्यन्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + य (धातु-आधारित)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'तपस्यन्' = तपः आचरन्

• नगेन्द्रस्थम्: dwelling on the mountain-king
• नगेन्द्रस्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: 'नगेन्द्रे स्थितः' (situated on the lord of mountains)

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वः: of you
• वः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural) (enclitic)

• क्षोभयते: agitates, disturbs
• क्षोभयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): 'causes to be agitated'

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb): 'by force/forcibly'

• दुर्वाससम्: Durvāsas
• दुर्वाससम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मुनिश्रेष्ठम्: best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'मुनीनां श्रेष्ठः' (best of sages)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वः: of you
• वः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural) (enclitic)

• मन्ये: I think, I consider
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• गुणाधिकाम्: more excellent in qualities
• गुणाधिकाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'गुणैः अधिका'

Speakers

• Uncertain from verse-only input (requires surrounding verses to identify the speaker in the opening dialogue)

Primary Deities

• Durvāsas (ṛṣi)

Shakti Aspects

• Not explicit; a powerful ‘she’ is referenced but not named as Devī in this verse alone

Key Themes

• Tapas (ascetic power)
• Spiritual hierarchy based on guṇa (excellence)
• Awe of superior potency (śakti/tejas)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse implies that true superiority is measured by inner excellence (guṇa) and spiritual potency rather than status alone. Even beings who presume power are to recognize a higher force—especially one capable of disturbing them despite the presence of a great ascetic like Durvāsas.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse functions as narrative framing (ākhyāna) rather than a direct statement of sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita. At most, it supports vaṃśānucarita/character-focused narration by referencing the famed ṛṣi Durvāsas and establishing relative spiritual power within the story context.

What is the esoteric significance?

Durvāsas symbolizes concentrated tapas/tejas (ascetic fire). The unnamed ‘she’ who can still ‘agitate’ others suggests a superior śakti that transcends ordinary ascetic radiance—hinting at a principle of higher power (often read in Purāṇic idiom as Devī/Śakti), though the verse itself does not explicitly identify her.