Shloka 1

धन-निरुक्ति तथा गालवस्य गुरुदक्षिणा-प्रसङ्गः

Etymology of Wealth and the Gurudakṣiṇā Predicament of Gālava

Devanagari script

ऑपन-- मा छा अकाल त्रयोदशाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: ऋषभ पर्वतके शिखरपर महर्षि गालव और गरुड़की तपस्विनी शाण्डिलीसे भेंट तथा गरुड़ और गालवका गुरुदक्षिणा चुकानेके विषयमें परस्पर विचार नारद उवाच ऋषभस्य तत: शूड्रं निपत्य द्विजपक्षिणौ । शाण्डिलीं ब्राह्मणीं तत्र ददूशाते तपो5न्विताम्‌,नारदजी कहते हैं--तदनन्तर गालव और गरुड़ने ऋषभ पर्वतके शिखरपर उतरकर वहाँ तपस्विनी शाण्डिली ब्राह्मणीको देखा

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | ṛṣabhasya tataḥ śṛṅgaṃ nipatya dvijapakṣiṇau | śāṇḍilīṃ brāhmaṇīṃ tatra dadṛśāte tapo'nvitām ||

Translation

Narada said: Thereafter, Galava and Garuḍa descended upon the peak of Mount Ṛṣabha. There they beheld Śāṇḍilī, a Brahmin woman endowed with austerity.

Word by Word

• ऋषभस्य: of (Mount) Ṛṣabha
• ऋषभस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ततः: then; thereafter; from there
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शृङ्गम्: peak; summit
• शृङ्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निपत्य: having descended/alighted
• निपत्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• द्विजपक्षिणौ: the two twice-born birds (Gālava and Garuḍa)
• द्विजपक्षिणौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजपक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शाण्डिलीम्: Śāṇḍilī
• शाण्डिलीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाण्डिली
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणीम्: a Brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• ददृशाते: they saw
• ददृशाते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• तपोऽन्विताम्: endowed with austerity; practicing penance
• तपोऽन्विताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + अन्वित
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Galava
• Garuḍa
• Śāṇḍilī
• Mount Ṛṣabha (Ṛṣabha-parvata)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: obligations—especially guru-dakṣiṇā—should be approached through humility, right counsel, and respect for ascetic wisdom (tapas), indicating that ethical action often requires guidance from the spiritually accomplished.

What is happening in the narrative?

Narada narrates that Galava and Garuḍa arrive at the summit of Mount Ṛṣabha and see the ascetic Brahmin woman Śāṇḍilī, initiating the episode in which they consult about fulfilling (or settling) the matter of guru-dakṣiṇā.