Shloka 21

Asita Devala Observes Jaigīṣavya’s Yogic Attainment and Chooses Mokṣa-dharma (देवल-जैगीषव्योपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहवो योगसिद्धा: सहस्रश: । प्रजानाथ! उसी नदीके तटपर इन्द्र आदि सम्पूर्ण देवता, विश्वेदेव, मरुद्गण, गन्धर्व, अप्सराएँ, द्वैपायन व्यास, शुकदेव, मधुसूदन श्रीकृष्ण, यक्ष, राक्षस एवं पिशाच--ये तथा और भी बहुत-से पुरुष सहस्रोंकी संख्यामें योगसिद्ध हो गये हैं || १९-२० $ ।। तस्मिंस्तीर्थे सरस्वत्या: शिवे पुण्ये परंतप

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavo yogasiddhāḥ sahasraśaḥ | prajānātha! asyā nadyāḥ taṭe indra-ādi sampūrṇā devatā viśvedevā marudgaṇā gandharvā apsarasaḥ dvaipāyana-vyāsaḥ śukadevaḥ madhusūdanaḥ śrīkṛṣṇaḥ yakṣā rākṣasāḥ piśācāś ca—ete tathā anye 'pi bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ sahasraśaḥ yogasiddhā bhavanti || tasmiṃs tīrthe sarasvatyāḥ śive puṇye parantapa

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «¡Oh señor de las criaturas! En la ribera de este río están Indra y todos los dioses, los Viśvedevas, las huestes de los Maruts, los Gandharvas y las Apsaras—junto con Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, Śukadeva, Madhusūdana Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas y Piśācas; éstos y muchos otros seres, por millares, han alcanzado la perfección del yoga. En ese vado sagrado del Sarasvatī—propicio, santo y domador de enemigos—…»

Word by Word

• {'ete': 'these', 'anye': 'others', 'bahavaḥ': 'many', 'yogasiddhāḥ': 'those who have attained yogic accomplishment/perfection', 'sahasraśaḥ': 'by the thousands

• in thousands', 'prajānātha': 'lord of creatures

• ruler/protector of subjects', 'nadyāḥ taṭe': 'on the bank of the river', 'indra-ādi': 'Indra and the rest (beginning with Indra)', 'devatāḥ': 'gods

• deities', 'viśvedevāḥ': 'the Viśvedevas (a class of deities)', 'marudgaṇāḥ': 'the troop/host of the Maruts', 'gandharvāḥ': 'celestial musicians', 'apsarasaḥ': 'celestial nymphs', 'dvaipāyana-vyāsaḥ': 'Vyāsa, son of Dvaipāyana', 'śukadevaḥ': 'Śuka (Śukadeva), son/disciple of Vyāsa', 'madhusūdanaḥ': '‘slayer of Madhu’, an epithet of Kṛṣṇa', 'yakṣāḥ': 'nature-spirits/guardians (often associated with wealth and forests)', 'rākṣasāḥ': 'rākṣasas

• powerful beings often hostile to humans', 'piśācāḥ': 'piśācas

• ghoulish spirits', 'tīrtha': 'sacred ford/pilgrimage-place', 'sarasvatyāḥ': 'of the Sarasvatī (river/goddess)', 'śive': 'auspicious

• beneficent', 'puṇye': 'holy

• meritorious', 'parantapa': '‘scorcher of foes’, a heroic epithet'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Indra
• Devas (gods)
• Viśvedevas
• Maruts
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Dvaipāyana Vyāsa
• Śukadeva
• Madhusūdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Piśācas
• Sarasvatī (river/tīrtha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the sanctifying power of a sacred tīrtha on the Sarasvatī: even diverse classes of beings—gods, sages, and other spirits—are said to attain yogic perfection there. Ethically, it reinforces the Mahābhārata’s theme that disciplined spiritual practice, supported by holy places and right intention, leads toward purification and higher attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a revered Sarasvatī pilgrimage-site, listing renowned divine and semi-divine beings (and great sages like Vyāsa and Śuka, and Kṛṣṇa) who have achieved yogic success on that riverbank. The passage functions as tīrtha-māhātmya—praise of the place—within the broader Shalya Parva narration.