Shloka 4

अम्बरीषगाथा—गुणत्रयविभागः तथा लोभनिग्रहः

Ambarīṣa’s Gāthā: The Guṇas and the Restraint of Greed

Devanagari script

अत्र गाथा: कीर्तयन्ति पुराकल्पविदो जना: । अम्बरीषेण या गीता राज्ञा पूर्व प्रशाम्यता

Transliteration

atra gāthāḥ kīrtayanti purākalpavido janāḥ | ambarīṣeṇa yā gītā rājñā pūrvaṃ praśāmyatā ||

Translation

Here, those who know the tales of ancient times recite a traditional gāthā. It is said that long ago King Ambarīṣa—devoted to peace and self-restraint—sang this very verse.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here; in this context
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र
• Form: indeclinable (locative adverb)

• गाथाः: verses; songs; ballads
• गाथाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• कीर्तयन्ति: they recite; they proclaim
• कीर्तयन्ति: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय्
• Form: present tense (laṭ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, plural

• पुरा: formerly; in olden times
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा
• Form: indeclinable (temporal adverb)

• कल्प: age; time-period
• कल्प: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प
• Form: masculine, locative, singular (in compound sense: 'in former times')

• विदः: knowers; experts
• विदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• अम्बरीषेण: by (King) Ambarīṣa
• अम्बरीषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बरीष
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• या: which
• या: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: यद्
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• गीता: song; chant
• गीता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीता
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पूर्वम्: formerly; earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: indeclinable (adverb)

• प्रशाम्यता: being peaceful; tranquil-minded
• प्रशाम्यता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशाम्यत्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular (present participle; agreeing with राज्ञा/अम्बरीषेण by sense)

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa (King)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical instruction is presented as inherited, verified wisdom: a gāthā preserved by learned tradition and exemplified by a peace-oriented righteous king (Ambarīṣa), implying that dharma is best learned through time-honored teachings and exemplary conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

The brāhmaṇa speaker introduces a well-known traditional stanza, noting that experts in ancient lore recite it and that it was once sung by King Ambarīṣa, thereby setting up an authoritative moral illustration to follow.