Shloka 13

Adhyāya 32: Tāpasānāṃ Darśanaṃ — Ascetics Seek to Identify the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

क्षणेनान्तर्तिताश्रैव प्रेक्षतामेव ले5डभवन्‌ । अवगाहा महात्मान: पुण्यां भागीरथीं नदीम्‌

Transliteration

kṣaṇenāntarhitāś caiva prekṣatām eva leḍabhavan | avagāhā mahātmānaḥ puṇyāṃ bhāgīrathīṃ nadīm ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: In an instant, even as all were watching, they vanished from sight and entered the holy river Bhāgīrathī.

Word by Word

• क्षणेन: in a moment / by a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्तर्हिताः: vanished / became hidden
• अन्तर्हिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्हित (अन्तर् + √धा/√धा (धातु) with नि- prefix; past passive participle sense 'hidden')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• प्रेक्षताम्: of those who were watching
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षत् (present participle of √ईक्ष् with प्र-)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अभवन्: they became / they were
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• अवगाहाः: bathers / those who plunged in
• अवगाहाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवगाह (from अव- + √गाह्; 'one who plunges/bathes')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महात्मानः: great-souled ones
• महात्मानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुण्याम्: holy / sacred
• पुण्याम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भागीरथीम्: Bhāgīrathī (the Ganges)
• भागीरथीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागीरथी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नदीम्: river
• नदीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) river
• mahātmānaḥ (the great-souled persons/elders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vairāgya (detachment) and the dharmic ideal of withdrawing from worldly identity at life’s close, seeking purification through sacred acts rather than clinging to status, visibility, or possession.

What is happening in the narrative?

As onlookers watch, the great-souled figures suddenly disappear from sight and immerse themselves in the holy Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā), marking a decisive movement into sacred withdrawal.