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Shloka 4

कृपकृपी-जननम्

The Birth of Kṛpa and Kṛpī; Kṛpa’s Attainment of Astras

स तु कालेन महता प्राप्य निष्कल्मषं तप: । ब्रह्मर्षिसदृश: पाण्डुबभूव भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ जनमेजय! राजा पाण्डु दीर्घकालतक पापरहित तपस्याका अनुष्ठान करके ब्रह्मर्षियोंके समान प्रभावशाली हो गये थे

sa tu kālena mahatā prāpya niṣkalmaṣaṁ tapaḥ | brahmarṣi-sadṛśaḥ pāṇḍur babhūva bharatarṣabha bharataśreṣṭha janamejaya |

Vaiśampāyana said: In the course of a long time, King Pāṇḍu, having attained an austerity free from moral taint, became powerful and radiant like the great seer-sages. O best of the Bharatas, O Janamejaya, through sustained, blameless tapas he rose to a brahmarṣi-like stature—suggesting that inner purification and disciplined restraint can elevate a ruler beyond mere worldly authority.

सःhe (that one)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
कालेनby/with time; in course of time
कालेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
महताgreat/long
महता:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
प्राप्यhaving attained/obtained
प्राप्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-आप्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)
निष्कल्मषम्sinless; free from impurity
निष्कल्मषम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्कल्मष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तपःausterity/penance
तपः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतपस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ब्रह्मर्षि-सदृशःlike a brahmarshi
ब्रह्मर्षि-सदृशः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसदृश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पाण्डुःPandu
पाण्डुः:
Karta
TypeProperNoun
Rootपाण्डु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बभूवbecame
बभूव:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
Formलिट् (perfect), Past (perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
भरत-ऋषभO bull of the Bharatas
भरत-ऋषभ:
TypeNoun (vocative epithet)
Rootऋषभ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
P
Pāṇḍu
J
Janamejaya
B
Bharata lineage (Bharatas)
B
Brahmarṣis (seer-sages)

Educational Q&A

Sustained tapas that is niṣkalmaṣa (untainted by wrongdoing) purifies and elevates a person’s stature; ethical discipline, not mere power, is presented as the basis of true greatness—even for a king.

Vaiśampāyana tells King Janamejaya that Pāṇḍu, after a long period of blameless austerity, attained a brahmarṣi-like radiance and influence, emphasizing his spiritual and moral transformation.