Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स गत्वा विषमं घोर पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्‌ | मार्गमाणो<न्वगच्छत्‌ तौ तापसौ वनमाश्रितौ,राजा उनकी खोज करते हुए दुर्गम एवं भयंकर गन्धमादन पर्वतपर गये और वनमें स्थित उन तपस्वी महात्माओंके पास जा पहुँचे

Transliteration

sa gatvā viṣamaṃ ghoraṃ parvataṃ gandhamādanam | mārgamāṇo 'nvagacchat tau tāpasau vanam āśritau ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Having gone to the rugged and fearsome mountain Gandhamādana, the king, while searching, came upon those two ascetic sages who were dwelling in the forest.

Word by Word

• सः: he (the king)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Prior action (having gone)

• विषमम्: uneven, difficult
• विषमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible, fearsome
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्वतम्: mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गन्धमादनम्: Gandhamādana (name of the mountain)
• गन्धमादनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मार्गमाणः: seeking, searching (for)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मार्ग्
• Form: शानच् (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्वगच्छत्: went to, reached, followed up to
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + गम्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), Past, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• तापसौ: two ascetics
• तापसौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रितौ: residing in, having taken refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + श्रि
• Form: क्त (past passive participle, used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• the king (rājā)
• Gandhamādana mountain
• two ascetic sages (tāpasau)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler (or any decision-maker) should be willing to endure difficulty to seek wise, disciplined guidance; ethical action is strengthened by humility before ascetic insight and by persistent inquiry.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king travels to the formidable Gandhamādana mountain and, while searching, reaches two forest-dwelling ascetics, setting up a forthcoming exchange of counsel or instruction.