Shloka 11

Adhyāya 60: Devagaṇa–Ṛṣi–Prajāpatīnāṃ Sambhavaḥ

Origins of Divine Classes, Sages, and Progenitors

Devanagari script

काउ्चनं विष्टरं तस्मै सदस्यानुमत:ः प्रभु: । आसन कल्पयामास यथा शक्रो बृहस्पते:,जैसे इन्द्र बृहस्पतिजीको आसन देते हैं, उसी प्रकार राजाने सदस्योंकी अनुमति लेकर व्यासजीके लिये सुवर्णका विष्टर दे आसनकी व्यवस्था की

Transliteration

Śaunaka uvāca: kāñcanaṁ viṣṭaraṁ tasmai sadasyānumataḥ prabhuḥ | āsanaṁ kalpayāmāsa yathā śakro bṛhaspateḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka said: With the assent of the assembled elders, the lord arranged for him a golden seat—just as Indra, king of the gods, provides a seat for Bṛhaspati. The scene underscores the ethic of honoring wisdom and spiritual authority through public consent and reverent hospitality.

Word by Word

• {'Śaunaka uvāca': 'Śaunaka said', 'kāñcanam': 'golden

• made of gold', 'viṣṭaram': 'seat, couch, spread-out sitting place (a ceremonial seat)', 'tasmai': 'for him', 'sadasya-anumataḥ': 'with the approval/consent of the members of the assembly', 'prabhuḥ': 'the lord

• the powerful one (here, the host/king)', 'āsanam': 'seat

• place to sit', 'kalpayāmāsa': 'arranged

• caused to be prepared', 'yathā': 'just as', 'śakraḥ': 'Śakra (Indra)', 'bṛhaspateḥ': 'for Bṛhaspati (the preceptor of the gods)'}

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• शक्र/इन्द्र (Śakra/Indra)
• बृहस्पति (Bṛhaspati)
• काञ्चन विष्टर (golden seat)
• सभा/सदस्य (assembly and its members)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as reverence toward learned and spiritually eminent persons: a worthy guest or teacher should be honored publicly, and the community’s assent (sadasyānumati) reinforces that such honor is not mere personal preference but a shared ethical norm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka describes a formal act of reception: the host/king, after obtaining the assembly’s approval, has a golden ceremonial seat prepared for the honored person, likening the gesture to Indra seating his guru Bṛhaspati.