Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

स राजा शिबिकारूढो गन्तुं कृतमतिर् द्विज बभूवेक्षुमतीतीरे कपिलर्षेर् वराश्रमम्

Transliteration

sa rājā śibikārūḍho gantuṃ kṛtamatir dvija babhūvekṣumatītīre kapilarṣer varāśramam

Translation

O brāhmaṇa, that king—having mounted his palanquin and fixed his resolve to depart—set out for the noble hermitage of Sage Kapila on the bank of the Ikṣumatī river.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• शिबिका-आरूढः: mounted on a palanquin
• शिबिका-आरूढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिबिका + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; आरूढः (क्त, ‘mounted’); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शिबिकाम् आरूढः)

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; प्रयोजनार्थः (purpose)

• कृत-मतिः: having resolved; determined
• कृत-मतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातोः क्त) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (कृता मतिः यस्य = ‘one whose resolve is made/firm’)

• द्विज: O brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, सम्बोधन (Vocative/आमन्त्रण), एकवचनम्

• बभूव: went/became (came to be)
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• इक्षुमती-तीरे: on the bank of the Ikṣumatī (river)
• इक्षुमती-तीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्षुमती (नदी-नाम, प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (इक्षुमत्याः तीरम्)

• कपिल-ऋषेः: of sage Kapila
• कपिल-ऋषेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कपिलः ऋषिः)

• वर-आश्रमम्: the excellent hermitage
• वर-आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (वरः आश्रमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The king’s departure to Kapila’s hermitage on the Ikṣumatī river

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Characters & Entities

• King (unnamed in this verse)
• Sage Kapila
• Ikṣumatī River
• Brahmin (dvija)

FAQs

What is the significance of the king going to Sage Kapila’s āśrama in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights the Purāṇic ideal that royal power is perfected when it bows to spiritual authority—kings seek sages for dharma, restraint, and right governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of sages in guiding kings in this narrative?

Through lineage episodes, Parāśara shows that dynastic continuity is not merely political; it is sustained by dharma preserved in āśramas, where sages serve as moral and spiritual arbiters.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇa’s worldview implies that righteous kingship and the sage’s path both function under Vishnu’s cosmic order (dharma as an expression of the Supreme Reality).