Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अशक्योडर्थ: समारब्धो नैतद्‌ बुद्धिकृतं तव । प्रतिभास्यन्ति वै वेदास्तव चैव पितुश्न ते,महामुनि यवक्रीतको इस प्रकार तपस्या करते देख इन्द्रने उनके पास जाकर पुनः मना किया और कहा--'मुने! तुमने ऐसे कार्यका आरम्भ किया है जिसकी सिद्धि होनी असम्भव है। तुम्हारा यह (द्विजमात्रके लिये बिना पढ़े वेदका ज्ञान होनेका) आयोजन बुद्धि-संगत नहीं है; किंतु केवल तुमको और तुम्हारे पिताको ही वेदोंका ज्ञान होगा”

Transliteration

aśakyo ’rthaḥ samārabdho naitad buddhikṛtaṃ tava | pratibhāsyanti vai vedās tava caiva pituś ca te ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: “You have undertaken an aim that cannot be accomplished. This plan of yours is not guided by sound reason. The Vedas will indeed become manifest—but only to you and to your father.”

Word by Word

अशक्यःimpossible

अर्थःpurpose/aim (undertaking)

समारब्धःbegun/undertaken

नnot

एतत्this

बुद्धि-कृतम्done by/through intellect; rational

तवof you/your

प्रतिभास्यन्तिwill appear/shine forth (become manifest)

वैindeed

वेदाःthe Vedas

तवof you/your

चand

एवonly/indeed

पितुःof (your) father

तेof you (enclitic)

Speaker

लोमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomaśa

Indra

Yavakrīta

Yavakrīta’s father

Vedas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred knowledge is not meant to be seized through mere force of austerity as a shortcut that bypasses disciplined learning and proper method; reasoned conduct and adherence to rightful means (dharma) matter as much as the goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Seeing Yavakrīta performing severe austerities to obtain Vedic knowledge without study, Indra approaches to dissuade him, declaring the undertaking impossible in the way intended and stating that the Vedas will manifest only to Yavakrīta and his father, not as a universal boon for all.