Shloka 5

Ruru–Pramadvarā: Lineage, Fosterage, Betrothal, and the Snakebite Crisis (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 8)

Devanagari script

ऋषिरासीन्महान्‌ पूर्व तपोविद्यासमन्वित: । स्थूलकेश इति ख्यात: सर्वभूतहिते रत:,पूर्वकालमें स्थूलकेश नामसे विख्यात एक तप और विद्यासे सम्पन्न महर्षि थे; जो समस्त प्राणियोंके हितमें लगे रहते थे

Transliteration

ṛṣir āsīn mahān pūrvaṁ tapo-vidyā-samanvitaḥ | sthūlakeśa iti khyātaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite rataḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: „In alter Zeit lebte ein großer Weiser, reich an Askese und heiligem Wissen. Er war unter dem Namen Sthūlakeśa bekannt und dem Wohl aller Wesen zugetan.“

Word by Word

ऋषिःsage

आसीत्was

महान्great

पूर्वम्formerly, in earlier times

तपोविद्यासमन्वितःendowed with austerity and learning

स्थूलकेशःSthūlakeśa (one with thick hair)

इतिthus, as

ख्यातःrenowned, known

सर्वभूतहितेin the welfare of all beings

रतःengaged, devoted

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Sthūlakeśa (ṛṣi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True greatness in the epic is marked not only by tapas (austerity) and vidyā (learning) but by active commitment to sarva-bhūta-hita—the welfare of all living beings—linking spiritual attainment with universal ethical concern.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka introduces an earlier exemplary sage named Sthūlakeśa, describing his qualities—ascetic discipline, learning, and benevolence—as a prelude to the account in which this figure will become relevant.