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 dit : Après avoir réfléchi un instant, ce brahmane éminent fut saisi d’indignation. Submergé par une grande colère, bien que juste de cœur et puissant par l’ascèse et la force, il fut poussé vers une résolution farouche—une colère qui, dans le récit, aboutit à un acte rituel destructeur contre un royaume.

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.