Shloka 13

Devanagari script

एवं निश्चित्य भगवान्‌ विश्वामित्रो महामुनि: । सस्मार सरितां श्रेष्ठां क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन:,ऐसा निश्चय करके पूज्य महामुनि विश्वामित्रके नेत्र क्रोधसे रक्तवर्ण हो गये। उन्होंने सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ सरस्वतीका स्मरण किया

Transliteration

evaṁ niścitya bhagavān viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | sasmāra saritāṁ śreṣṭhāṁ krodha-saṁrakta-locanaḥ ||

Translation

Having thus resolved, the revered great sage Viśvāmitra—his eyes reddened with anger—called to mind Sarasvatī, the foremost among rivers. The verse underscores how a firm decision, when driven by wrath, can summon immense powers and set consequential events in motion.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

निश्चित्यhaving decided/determined

भगवान्the venerable one

विश्वामित्रःViśvāmitra

महामुनिःthe great sage

सस्मारremembered/called to mind

सरिताम्of rivers

श्रेष्ठाम्the best

क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनःwhose eyes were reddened with anger

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Viśvāmitra

Sarasvatī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension between firm resolve and the influence of anger: when determination is fueled by wrath, even spiritual power and sacred forces may be invoked in ways that can lead to far-reaching consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Viśvāmitra, after making a definite decision, becomes visibly enraged (eyes reddened) and then mentally invokes/recalls Sarasvatī, the foremost river—signaling the initiation of an action involving that sacred river.