Mahabharata 9.39.30 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 30

Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins

Devanagari script

विज्ञायातीतवयसं रुषड्गुं ते तपोधना: । तं च तीर्थमुपानिन्यु: सरस्वत्यास्तपोधनम्‌,उन तपस्वी पुत्रोंने तपोधन रुषंगुको अत्यन्त वृद्ध जानकर उन्हें सरस्वतीके उस उत्तम तीर्थमें पहुँचा दिया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | vijñāyātītavayasaṃ ruṣaḍguṃ te tapodhanāḥ | taṃ ca tīrtham upāninyuḥ sarasvatyās tapodhanam ||

Translation

Mengetahui bahwa Ruṣaḍgu telah melewati masa prima, para pertapa yang kaya tapa itu menuntunnya menuju tīrtha suci di Sungai Sarasvatī, tempat keramat yang dihormati para pelaku tapa.

Word by Word

• विज्ञाय: having known
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु √ज्ञा)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• अतीत-वयसम्: one who has passed beyond youth; very aged
• अतीत-वयसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीत-वयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रुषड्गुम्: Rushadgu (proper name)
• रुषड्गुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुषड्गु (प्रातिपदिक, नाम)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपोधनाः: ascetics; those whose wealth is austerity
• तपोधनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• तीर्थम्: ford; sacred bathing-place
• तीर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उपानिन्युः: they led (him) near; they brought (him) to
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-नी (धातु √नी)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), Third, Plural, परस्मैपदम्

• सरस्वत्याः: of Sarasvatī (river/goddess)
• सरस्वत्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• तपोधनम्: austere; rich in austerity (as an epithet of the tīrtha)
• तपोधनम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Ruṣaḍgu
• Sarasvatī (river)
• Tīrtha (sacred ford)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those grounded in tapas (spiritual discipline) should support and guide the aged toward places and practices that sustain dignity, purification, and peace; caring guidance is presented as a dharmic responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ascetics, realizing that Ruṣaḍgu is extremely old, escort him to a revered tīrtha on the Sarasvatī—an established holy site associated with ascetic merit.