Shloka 92

Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ

King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt

Devanagari script

वेदार्थविच्च भगवानृषिर्विप्रो महायशा: । शूले प्रोत: पुराणर्षिरचौरश्लनौरशड्कया,पूर्वकालकी बात है वेदार्थोंके ज्ञाता, महान्‌ यशस्वी, पुरातन मुनि, ब्रह्मर्षि भगवान्‌ अणीमाण्डव्य चोर न होते हुए भी चोरके संदेहसे शूलीपर चढ़ा दिये गये। परलोकमें जानेपर उन महायशस्वी महर्षिने पहले धर्मको बुलाकर इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

vedārthavic ca bhagavān ṛṣir vipro mahāyaśāḥ | śūle protaḥ purāṇarṣir acauro 'pi śaṅkayā || pūrvakāla-kathā: vedārthajño mahāyaśāḥ purāṇarṣir brahmarṣir bhagavān aṇīmāṇḍavyaḥ coro na san api cora-śaṅkayā śūlyāropitaḥ | paralokaṃ gatvā sa mahāyaśā mahārṣiḥ pūrvaṃ dharmaṃ āhūya evaṃ uvāca ||

Translation

Dāśa said: “This is an ancient account. There was a venerable, illustrious Brahmarṣi—Aṇīmāṇḍavya—learned in the meaning of the Vedas, a great sage and a brāhmaṇa. Though he was no thief, he was impaled on a stake merely on suspicion of theft. After he departed to the other world, that renowned great seer first summoned Dharma and spoke to him in this manner.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vedārthavit', 'definition': 'knower of the meaning/purport of the Vedas'}, {'term': 'bhagavān', 'definition': 'venerable, holy

• an honorific for a revered sage'}, {'term': 'ṛṣi / purāṇarṣi', 'definition': 'seer

• ‘ancient seer’ (a sage of old)'}, {'term': 'vipra', 'definition': 'brāhmaṇa

• learned priestly sage'}, {'term': 'mahāyaśāḥ', 'definition': 'of great fame/glory'}, {'term': 'śūla', 'definition': 'stake, spear-like impaling post'}, {'term': 'śūle protaḥ', 'definition': 'impaled on a stake'}, {'term': 'acauraḥ', 'definition': 'not a thief

• innocent of theft'}, {'term': 'śaṅkayā', 'definition': 'out of suspicion

• due to doubt'}, {'term': 'paraloka', 'definition': 'the other world

• the afterlife'}, {'term': 'dharma', 'definition': 'Dharma personified

• also the principle of justice/righteous order'}, {'term': 'āhūya', 'definition': 'having summoned/called'}, {'term': 'uvāca', 'definition': 'said, spoke'}]

Speaker

दाश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• दाश (Dāśa)
• अणीमाण्डव्य (Aṇīmāṇḍavya)
• धर्म (Dharma, personified)
• शूल (stake/impaling post)
• परलोक (the other world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical problem: an innocent, Veda-knowing sage is punished due to mere suspicion, and the narrative moves toward a direct confrontation with Dharma. It highlights the demand that punishment and justice align with truth and proportionality, not rumor or doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dāśa introduces an old episode about the sage Aṇīmāṇḍavya. Though not a thief, he is impaled because he is suspected of theft. After reaching the other world, he calls Dharma to account and begins to speak—setting up the ensuing dialogue about justice and moral order.