Shloka 10

Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)

Devanagari script

चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तेन रोषाविष्टो द्विजोत्तम:

Transliteration

cintayitvā muhūrtena roṣāviṣṭo dvijottamaḥ | krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Tras reflexionar un instante, aquel brahmán eminente quedó preso de la indignación. Abrumado por una gran ira, aunque recto de corazón y poderoso en austeridad y fuerza, fue empujado a una resolución feroz—una cólera que, en el relato circundante, culmina en una acción ritual destructiva contra un reino.

Word by Word

• चिन्तयित्वा: having thought/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• मुहूर्तेन: for a moment / in a short while
• मुहूर्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रोषाविष्टः: overcome/possessed by rage
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोषाविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; आविष्ट- from √विश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधेन: with anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महताऽऽविष्टः: possessed by great (anger)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (from √विश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: a righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)

• प्रतापवान्: mighty/valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijottama (a foremost Brahmin; implied figure in context)
• Avākīrṇa-tīrtha (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)
• Balarāma (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral tension central to the epic: even a dharmātmā (righteous person) can be overtaken by roṣa/krodha (indignation/anger). The narrative context warns that anger, when empowered by ascetic or ritual potency, can produce far-reaching harm, making self-restraint and discernment essential to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a foremost Brahmin who, after brief reflection, becomes overwhelmed by intense anger. In the surrounding episode (as reflected in the Gītā Press prose), this wrath is linked to a powerful ascetic/ritual act directed against a kingdom, while Balarāma’s pilgrimage brings him to the Avākīrṇa tīrtha associated with that event.