Shloka 27

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

एते लूनशिखास् तस्य दशनैर् अचिरोद्गतैः कुशकाशा विराजन्ते बटवः सामगा इव

Transliteration

ete lūnaśikhās tasya daśanair acirodgataiḥ kuśakāśā virājante baṭavaḥ sāmagā iva

Translation

Their topknots newly shorn by his teeth, these kuśa and kāśa grasses shine forth like young students chanting the Sāma-veda.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम-शब्द

• लूनशिखाः: having cut tufts/crests
• लूनशिखाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लून-शिखा (प्रातिपदिक); लून (cut) + शिखा (tuft/crest)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तस्य: of him/of that (deer)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• दशनैः: with (its) teeth
• दशनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अचिरोद्गतैः: recently grown (new)
• अचिरोद्गतैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिर-उद्गत (प्रातिपदिक); अचिर (recent) + उद्गत (sprung up)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दशनैः/teeth as newly grown)

• कुशकाशाः: kuśa and kāśa grasses
• कुशकाशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश-काश (प्रातिपदिक); कुश (kuśa grass) + काश (kāśa grass)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• विराजन्ते: shine/appear splendid
• विराजन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• बटवः: young students (brahmacārins)
• बटवः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• सामगाः: chanters of Sāman hymns
• सामगाः: Upamana-dharma (Compared attribute/उपमेयधर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (as predicate to बटवः)

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upama (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Depiction of āśrama-dharma and the outward marks of discipline (brahmacarya, study) within the narrative setting

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Outer signs of restraint and study (śikhā, kuśa, kāśa, Vedic chanting) reflect an inner commitment to dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt supportive disciplines—regular study, simple living, and daily vows—so inner intent gains stable form.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is meaningful as service (kainkarya) to the Lord’s ordinance; discipline becomes an offering rather than mere self-fashioning.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brahmacārins (baṭavaḥ)
• Sāma-veda (Sāmans)

FAQs

What is the significance of kuśa and kāśa grass imagery in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, kuśa and kāśa function as visual emblems of Vedic discipline and ritual readiness, marking the students as formed by regulated training rather than mere appearance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ideal of brahmacarya here?

Parāśara highlights the students’ disciplined state through concrete signs—shorn hair/topknot and Vedic association—showing brahmacarya as a lived order that produces clarity, restraint, and sacred competence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when describing social and educational life, the Vishnu Purana situates dharma as part of a universal order ultimately upheld by Vishnu, the sovereign ground of stability through which right conduct gains meaning.