Shloka 97

Devanagari script

आश्रमस्थ: क्रियावस्थो विश्वकर्ममतिर्वर: । विशालशाखतस्ताग्रोष्ठो हम्बुजाल: सुनिश्चल:,५५३ आश्रमस्थ:--चारों आश्रमोंमें धर्मरूपसे स्थित रहनेवाले, ५५४ क्रियावस्थ:-- यज्ञादि क्रियाओंमें संलग्न, ५५५ विश्वकर्ममति:--संसारकी रचनारूप कर्ममें कुशल, ५५६ वरः:--सर्वश्रेष्ठ, ५५७७ विशालशाख:--लंबी भुजाओंवाले, ५५८ ताम्रोष्ठ:--लाल-लाल ओठवाले, ५५९ अम्बुजाल:--जलसमूह--सागररूप, ५६० सुनिश्चलः--सर्वथा निश्चलरूप

Transliteration

āśramasthaḥ kriyāvastho viśvakarmamatir varaḥ | viśālaśākhas tāmroṣṭho 'mbujālaḥ suniścalaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “He abides in the discipline of the āśramas, steadfastly engaged in sacred rites; supreme in excellence, his mind skilled in the works that fashion the world. Broad-armed, with ruddy lips, he is like a vast expanse of waters—an ocean—utterly unmoving.”

Word by Word

आश्रमस्थःdwelling in an āśrama / established in the āśrama-dharma

क्रियावस्थःengaged in (ritual) actions; abiding in prescribed rites

विश्वकर्ममतिःone whose intellect is skilled in all works / in the work of the world

वरःexcellent; best

विशालशाखःhaving large/long arms (lit. branches)

ताम्रोष्ठःhaving copper-red lips

अम्बुजालःhaving a mass/net of waters; ocean-like

सुनिश्चलःvery steady; completely unmoving

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Wind-god)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises an ideal figure whose excellence rests on disciplined living within dharma (āśrama duties), committed performance of sacred actions, and inner steadiness—strength and capability guided by ethical order rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is describing (in laudatory, emblematic terms) the qualities and appearance of a supremely virtuous and capable person—highlighting dharmic conduct, ritual engagement, creative competence, heroic physique, and ocean-like immovability.