Shloka 31

वंशानुकीर्तनम् — Genealogical Recitation from Dakṣa to Yayāti and the Establishment of the Paurava Line

Devanagari script

अतीवगुणसम्पन्नमनिर्देश्यं च वर्चसा | महर्षि काश्यपं द्रष्टमथ कण्वं तपोधनम्‌

Transliteration

atīvaguṇasampannam anirdeśyaṃ ca varcasā | maharṣiṃ kāśyapaṃ dṛṣṭam atha kaṇvaṃ tapodhanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Il vit le grand sage Kāśyapa—surabondamment pourvu de vertus et revêtu d’une splendeur que nul discours ne saurait décrire—et il vit aussi Kaṇva, trésor de puissance ascétique, riche de tapas.

Word by Word

अतीवexceedingly, very

गुणसम्पन्नम्endowed with virtues

अनिर्देश्यम्indescribable

चand

वर्चसाby splendor, by radiance

महर्षिम्the great sage

काश्यपम्Kāśyapa

दृष्टम्seen

अथthen, thereafter

कण्वम्Kaṇva

तपोधनम्one whose wealth is austerity (an ascetic)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kāśyapa

Kaṇva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true eminence is grounded in virtue (guṇa) and ascetic discipline (tapas). Such inner attainment manifests outwardly as an almost indescribable spiritual radiance (varcas), marking the moral and spiritual authority of great sages.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a scene in which revered sages are encountered/seen: first Kāśyapa, described as supremely virtuous and radiant, and then Kaṇva, praised as rich in ascetic power. The narration signals the presence of authoritative spiritual figures within the unfolding story.