Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशाष्टी च शतानि च । नष्टपानीयपवने मृगैरन्यैश्न वर्जिते

Transliteration

daśavarṣasahasrāṇi daśāṣṭī ca śatāni ca | naṣṭapānīyapavane mṛgair anyaiś na varjite ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Pendant dix mille ans, et encore dix et huit centaines (c’est-à-dire 10 800 ans), dans une grande forêt où l’eau à boire et l’air salubre ont disparu — (là tu demeureras).» Dans son contexte, cette parole vaut comme une malédiction sévère : une existence longue, emplie de peur, dans une solitude inhospitalière, soulignant la conséquence morale de la colère et de la faute par le motif de la privation (eau, air, sûreté) et de l’abandon.

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• वर्ष: years
• वर्ष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• अष्टि: eighties (80s)
• अष्टि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टि
• Form: feminine, nominative/accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नष्ट: lost, absent
• नष्ट: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• पानीय: drinking-water
• पानीय: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानीय
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• पवने: wind, air
• पवने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• मृगैः: by animals (deer/beasts)
• मृगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वर्जिते: abandoned, devoid (of)
• वर्जिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• mṛgāḥ (wild animals)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores karmic and ethical consequence: intense anger and harmful intent culminate in prolonged suffering—symbolized by deprivation of water and air and life among fearful wild conditions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration, a curse-like pronouncement is being reported: the target is condemned to dwell for 10,800 years in a harsh forest lacking drinkable water and healthy air, amid wild beasts.