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Shloka 29

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

आस्यै: सप्तभिरुद्वीर्ण लोकधर्ममनुत्तमम्‌ | मरीचिरुत््यड्विरसौ पुलस्त्य: पुलहः क्रतु: । वसिष्ठ श्न महातेजास्ते हि चित्रशिखण्डिन:

āsyaḥ saptabhir udvīrṇaṁ lokadharmam anuttamam | marīcir atrir aṅgirāḥ pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ | vasiṣṭhaś ca mahātejās te hi citraśikhaṇḍinaḥ |

Bhīṣma dit : « De sept bouches fut proclamé le dharma du monde, sans égal. Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, et Vasiṣṭha au grand éclat — ces sept rishis illustres sont connus sous le nom de Citraśikhaṇḍin. Unis d’intention sur la grande montagne Meru, ils exposèrent et composèrent un enseignement excellent, digne de révérence et d’autorité comme les quatre Veda, où furent expliqués les principes suprêmes de l’ordre social et moral. »

आस्यैःby (their) mouths/faces
आस्यैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
सप्तभिःby seven
सप्तभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Form—, Instrumental, Plural
उद्वीर्णम्brought forth/produced
उद्वीर्णम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्-√वॄ (वॄञ् वरणे/वरण-प्रसारणे) → उद्वीर्ण (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
लोकधर्मम्the dharma of the world (social/religious duty)
लोकधर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootलोकधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अनुत्तमम्unsurpassed, excellent
अनुत्तमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मरीचिःMarīci (sage)
मरीचिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अत्रिःAtri (sage)
अत्रिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अङ्गिराःAṅgiras (sage)
अङ्गिराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुलस्त्यःPulastya (sage)
पुलस्त्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुलहःPulaha (sage)
पुलहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुलह (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
क्रतुःKratu (sage)
क्रतुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वसिष्ठःVasiṣṭha (sage)
वसिष्ठः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महातेजाःof great splendor/energy
महातेजाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (निपात)
चित्रशिखण्डिनःthe ‘Citraśikhaṇḍins’ (those with variegated crests/topknots)
चित्रशिखण्डिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचित्रशिखण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
M
Marichi
A
Atri
A
Angiras
P
Pulastya
P
Pulaha
K
Kratu
V
Vasistha
M
Meru (Mahagiri)

Educational Q&A

Dharma that sustains worldly life (lokadharma) is presented as an authoritative, Veda-like teaching, articulated through the consensus and speech of seven eminent sages, emphasizing that ethical and social norms have a venerable, scriptural foundation.

Bhishma identifies seven famous rishis—Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasistha—calling them Citraśikhaṇḍins, and describes how they jointly expounded a supreme account of lokadharma, traditionally situated on Mount Meru and treated as highly authoritative.