Shloka 40

Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

पराशर उवाच प्रसाद्येह पुरा शर्व मनसाचिन्तयं नृप । महातपा महातेजा महायोगी महायशा:

Transliteration

parāśara uvāca | prasādyeha purā śarvaṁ manasā cintayaṁ nṛpa | mahātapā mahātejā mahāyogī mahāyaśāḥ |

Translation

Parāśara dijo: «Oh rey, hace mucho tiempo, en este mismo lugar, tras propiciar a Śarva (Śiva), comencé a contemplarlo en mi mente. Por esa austeridad y devoción interior busqué la gracia del Señor: que se me concediera un hijo según el deseo de mi corazón, dotado de gran poder ascético, gran resplandor espiritual, dominio del yoga y fama perdurable.»

Word by Word

• पराशरः: Parāśara
• पराशरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रसाद्य: having propitiated / having pleased
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रसादय् (प्र + सद्/साद् caus.)
• Form: Absolutive (त्वा/ल्यप्), ल्यप् (य), Active

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• पुरा: formerly / earlier
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• शर्वम्: Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• चिन्तयन्: meditating / thinking (upon)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महातपाः: one of great austerity
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातेजाः: one of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायोगी: a great yogin
• महायोगी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायोगिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायशाः: one of great fame
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Śarva (Śiva)
• nṛpa (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical-spiritual principle that disciplined austerity (tapas) combined with inward contemplation and devotion can invite divine grace, leading to elevated outcomes—here, the aspiration for an exceptional, dharma-aligned progeny.

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara narrates to a king that he once propitiated Śiva (Śarva) and began meditating upon him mentally, describing the intended fruit of that practice: the granting of a highly accomplished and illustrious son.