Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

उपस्पृश्य च तत्रापि विधिवन्मुसलायुध: । ब्राह्मणान्‌ पूजयित्वा च सदाच्छादनभोजनै:

Transliteration

upaspṛśya ca tatrāpi vidhivanmusalāyudhaḥ | brāhmaṇān pūjayitvā ca sadācchādanabhojanaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Allí también, el portador de la maza, tras cumplir conforme al rito la purificación prescrita tocando el agua, honró debidamente a los brahmanes, proveyéndoles de vestiduras y alimento apropiados.

Word by Word

उपस्पृश्यhaving touched (water), after performing ācamana

चand

तत्रthere

अपिalso

विधिवत्according to rule, duly

मुसलायुधःhe whose weapon is a mace (Balarāma)

ब्राह्मणान्Brahmins

पूजयित्वाhaving honored/worshipped

चand

सदाच्छादनभोजनैःwith good coverings (garments) and food

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

mace (musala)

Brahmins

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a martial setting, one should uphold dharma through ritual cleanliness and respectful generosity—especially by honoring learned Brahmins with appropriate sustenance and clothing.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a mace-wielding figure performing purification rites and then formally honoring Brahmins with gifts of food and garments, indicating adherence to proper conduct and customary obligations.