Shloka 5

उच्चैःश्रवसः वर्णविपणः तथा नागशापः

Uccaiḥśravas Color-Wager and the Nāga Curse

Devanagari script

भवन्तावत्र कुर्वीतां बुद्धि नैःश्रेयसीं पराम्‌ मन्दरोद्धरणे यत्न: क्रियतां च हिताय न:,“आप दोनों इस विषयमें कल्याणमयी उत्तम बुद्धि प्रदान करें और हमारे हितके लिये मन्दराचल पर्वतको उखाड़नेका यत्न करें”

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca | bhavantāv atra kurvītāṃ buddhiṃ naiḥśreyasīṃ parām | mandaroddharaṇe yatnaḥ kriyatāṃ ca hitāya naḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka said: “May you two, here and now, grant us the highest insight that leads to ultimate good. And for our welfare, please undertake the effort of ‘uprooting Mandara’—that is, make the decisive exertion needed to bring forth what is beneficial.”

Word by Word

• भवन्तौ: you two
• भवन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• कुर्वीताम्: let (you two) do / may (you two) make
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

• बुद्धिम्: understanding, counsel
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नैःश्रेयसीम्: leading to the highest good
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैःश्रेयसी
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पराम्: supreme, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मन्दर-उद्धरणे: in the lifting/uprooting of (Mount) Mandara
• मन्दर-उद्धरणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर + उद्धरण
• Form: नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रियताम्: let it be done / should be undertaken
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), कर्मणि प्रयोग, प्रथम, एकवचन

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

• हिताय: for the benefit
• हिताय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित
• Form: नपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: उत्तम, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Mandara (Mandarācala mountain)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes seeking naiḥśreyasa—supreme, welfare-bearing discernment—and pairing right understanding with decisive effort undertaken for the common good (hita).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka respectfully addresses two interlocutors, requesting that they provide the highest beneficial counsel and undertake a major, symbolically framed effort—described as ‘uprooting Mandara’—for the listeners’ welfare.