Shloka 20

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्त्वा रथम् आरुह्य कृष्णाजिनधरो नृपः वनं जगाम यत्रास्ते खाण्डिक्यः स महामतिः

Transliteration

ity uktvā ratham āruhya kṛṣṇājinadharo nṛpaḥ vanaṃ jagāma yatrāste khāṇḍikyaḥ sa mahāmatiḥ

Translation

Having spoken thus, the king—clad in a black antelope-skin—mounted his chariot and went to the forest, to where the great-souled sage Khāṇḍikya dwelt.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle: 'thus')

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा, अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive: 'having said')

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund: 'having mounted')

• कृष्णाजिनधरः: wearing a black antelope skin
• कृष्णाजिनधरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्णाजिन (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कृष्णाजिनं धरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular, went)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• आस्ते: dwells, is seated
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (3rd person singular, sits/dwells)

• खाण्डिक्यः: Khāṇḍikya
• खाण्डिक्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खाण्डिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); गोत्र/ऋषिनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Apposition (Co-referent/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• महामतिः: great-minded, very wise
• महामतिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महती मतिः यस्य/महती मतिः (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Khāṇḍikya
• the King (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the significance of the king wearing a black antelope-skin (kṛṣṇājina) in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a deliberate adoption of ascetic restraint and ritual seriousness—showing the king approaching the sage not in pride, but in disciplined reverence for dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the role of sages in royal narratives here?

By depicting the king going to Khāṇḍikya’s forest abode, Parāśara emphasizes that righteous kingship is guided by spiritual counsel, not merely political power.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s dynastic episodes present dharma-guided rule as part of Vishnu’s cosmic order—kings uphold stability by aligning with wisdom and restraint.