Shloka 26

अंशुमान्—अश्वान्वेषणम्, दिशागजसंवादः, कपिलदाहवृत्तान्तः, गङ्गोपदेशः

Anshuman’s Search for the Horse and the Counsel to Bring Ganga

Devanagari script

अकृत्वा निश्चयं राजा कालेन महता महान् ।त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि राज्यं कृत्वा दिवं गत:।।।।

Transliteration

akṛtvā niścayaṃ rājā kālena mahatā mahān | triṃśadvarṣasahasrāṇi rājyaṃ kṛtvā divaṃ gataḥ ||

Translation

Tanpa sempat menetapkan keputusan, sang raja agung setelah waktu yang sangat panjang memerintah kerajaannya selama tiga puluh ribu tahun, lalu naik ke svarga (surga).

Word by Word

• अकृत्वा: without making (having not made)
• अकृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक-क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (negative absolutive): ‘not having done’

• निश्चयम्: a decision
• निश्चयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कालेन: with/over (a period of) time
• कालेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु-अर्थे (by/with time; over time)

• महता: great/long
• महता: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कालेन)

• महान्: mighty
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (राजा)

• त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि: thirty thousand years
• त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् + वर्ष + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रिंशत्-वर्षाणां सहस्राणि) कालपरिमाणम्

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having ruled
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive): ‘having done/ruled’

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: went/ascended
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘gone’

Context

Having circumambulated the elephant, he (Anshuman) enquired about his well-being, the where abouts of his uncles and also about the one who had stolen the sacrificial horse.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Gaṅgā (implicit unresolved topic)
• heaven (diva)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Human effort can remain incomplete; dharma is sustained across generations. The unresolved duty (Gaṅgā’s descent) becomes a continuing responsibility for descendants.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara lives long, rules, yet dies without solving the problem of bringing Gaṅgā down, setting the stage for later efforts by his lineage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance in kingship (rājadharma) despite personal sorrow—he continues to govern responsibly even with an unresolved spiritual obligation.