Shloka 9

Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha

Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context

Devanagari script

जैगीषव्यं मुनिवरं न ददर्शाथ देवल: । आहारकाले मतिमान्‌ परिव्राड़ जनमेजय

Transliteration

jaigīṣavyaṃ munivaraṃ na dadarśātha devalaḥ | āhārakāle matimān parivrāḍ janamejaya

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: Dann sah Devala den erhabenen Weisen Jaigīṣavya nicht mehr. O kluger Janamejaya, zur Zeit der Mahlzeit bemerkte jener einsichtsvolle wandernde Asket sein Ausbleiben.

Word by Word

• जैगीषव्यम्: Jaigiṣavya (name), (as) the one sought/seen
• जैगीषव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मुनिवरम्: the best of sages
• मुनिवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिवर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• देवलः: Devala (name)
• देवलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आहारकाले: at mealtime
• आहारकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहारकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मतिमान्: intelligent, wise
• मतिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परिव्राट्: wandering ascetic, mendicant
• परिव्राट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिव्राज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनमेजय: O Janamejaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Devala
• Jaigīṣavya
• Janamejaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ascetic ideal: a true renunciant is not bound by convenience or social expectation. Even at mealtime, the sought-after sage may be absent, reflecting disciplined independence and the non-attachment that characterizes a parivrājaka.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that Devala went looking for the sage Jaigīṣavya but did not find him. The detail ‘at mealtime’ highlights the moment of search and suggests Jaigīṣavya’s wandering or observance that kept him away.