Shloka 28

Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins

Devanagari script

राजेन्द्र! तत्पश्चात्‌ श्रीमान्‌ हलधर ब्राह्मणोंसे घिरकर उस स्थानपर गये, जहाँ रुषंगुने अपना शरीर छोड़ा थ ।। रुषड्गुर्ब्राह्मिणो वृद्धस्तपोनित्यश्व॒ भारत । देहन्यासे कृतमना विचिन्त्य बहुधा तदा,भारत! बूढ़े ब्राह्मण रुषंगु सदा तपस्यामें संल्गन रहते थे। एक समय उन महातपस्वी रुषंगु मुनिने शरीर त्याग देनेका विचार करके बहुत कुछ सोचकर अपने सभी पुत्रोंको बुलाया और उनसे कहा--'मुझे पृथूदक तीर्थमें ले चलो"

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | rājendra! tatpaścāt śrīmān haladharaḥ brāhmaṇaiḥ parivṛtaḥ taṃ deśaṃ jagāma yatra ṛṣaṅguḥ śarīraṃ tyaktavān | ṛṣaṅgur brāhmaṇo vṛddhas tapo-nityaś ca bhārata | deha-nyāse kṛta-manā vicintya bahudhā tadā |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of kings! After that, the illustrious Haladhara, surrounded by brāhmaṇas, went to the place where the aged brāhmaṇa Ṛṣaṅgu had abandoned his body. O Bhārata, Ṛṣaṅgu was ever devoted to austerity. At that time, having resolved upon laying down his body, he reflected in many ways.”

Word by Word

रुषङ्गुःRushaṅgu (name of a sage)

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

वृद्धःold, aged

तपःin austerity, in penance

नित्यःconstant, always engaged

भारतO Bhārata

देहin/with regard to the body

न्यासेin laying down (renouncing)

कृतमनाone whose mind was resolved (determined)

विचिन्त्यhaving reflected, having considered

बहुधाin many ways, repeatedly

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Haladhara (Balarāma)

Ṛ

Ṛṣaṅgu

brāhmaṇas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of a life grounded in tapas and deliberate self-governance: even at the end of life, a sage does not act impulsively but reflects deeply and resolves with clarity, while society (here, brāhmaṇas and revered figures) honors such a transition with reverent attention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma (Haladhara), accompanied by brāhmaṇas, goes to the place where the aged ascetic Ṛṣaṅgu has given up his body. The verse frames Ṛṣaṅgu as a lifelong practitioner of austerity who, after much contemplation, had resolved upon deha-nyāsa (laying down the body).