Shloka 17

Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative

Devanagari script

तत्र गर्ग महाभागमृषय: सुव्रता नूप । उपासांचक्रिरे नित्यं कालज्ञानं प्रति प्रभो,सामर्थ्यशाली नरेश्वर! वहाँ उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले ऋषियोंने कालज्ञानके लिये सदा महाभाग गर्गमुनिकी उपासना (सेवा) की थी

Transliteration

tatra garga-mahābhāgam ṛṣayaḥ suvratā nṛpa | upāsāṃ cakrire nityaṃ kāla-jñānaṃ prati prabho ||

Translation

Dort, o König, dienten die Rishis—standhaft in vortrefflichen Gelübden—unablässig dem hochbegnadeten Muni Garga, um das Wissen um die Zeit (Kāla) zu erlangen.

Word by Word

तत्रthere

गर्गम्Garga (sage)

महाभागम्highly fortunate / illustrious

ऋषयःsages

सुव्रताःof good vows / observing excellent vows

उपnear; (as preverb) towards/attending

उपासाञ्चक्रिरेthey attended/served/worshipped

नित्यम्always

कालज्ञानम्knowledge of time

प्रतिtowards; for the sake of

प्रभोO lord

सामर्थ्यशालिन्O powerful one

नरेश्वरO lord of men (king)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Garga (sage)

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages/seers)

Nṛpa/Prabhu (the king addressed by Vaiśampāyana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined seeking of wisdom: even accomplished sages approach a qualified teacher with humility and steady service to gain kāla-jñāna—understanding Time’s workings—which supports prudent, dharmic decision-making.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that a group of vow-observing sages regularly attended the great sage Garga, honoring him and learning from him specifically about the knowledge of Time.