Shloka 6
Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्
कामक्रोधावुभौ यस्य चरणौ संववाहतु: । इन्द्रियाणां वशकरो वसिष्ठ इति चोच्यते,गन्धर्वने कहा--वसिष्ठजी ब्रह्माजीके मानस पुत्र हैं। उनकी पत्नीका नाम अरुन्धती है। जिन्हें देवता भी कभी जीत नहीं सके, वे काम और क्रोध नामक दोनों शत्रु वसिष्ठजीकी तपस्यासे सदाके लिये पराभूत होकर उनके चरण दबाते रहे हैं। इन्द्रियोंको वशमें करनेके कारण वे वसिष्ठ कहलाते हैं
kāmakrodhāv ubhau yasya caraṇau saṃvāhataḥ | indriyāṇāṃ vaśakaro vasiṣṭha iti cocyate ||
The Gandharva said: ‘He whose feet are ever massaged by the two foes—Desire and Anger—subdued by his austerity, and who has mastery over the senses, is therefore called Vasiṣṭha.’ The verse praises Vasiṣṭha’s ethical greatness: true superiority is not conquest over others, but conquest over inner enemies through self-discipline and tapas.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Greatness is defined by mastery over one’s senses and inner enemies. When desire (kāma) and anger (krodha) are subdued through tapas and discipline, they become powerless—symbolically reduced to serving at the sage’s feet.
A Gandharva is describing the sage Vasiṣṭha and explaining why he is renowned: his austerity and self-mastery have defeated even the formidable forces of desire and anger, so he is celebrated as ‘Vasiṣṭha,’ the excellent one who controls the senses.