Shloka 14

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

ते सर्वे ब्राह्मणा राज॑स्तपोभिनिियमैस्तथा । उपवासैश्व विविधैर्यमै: कष्टव्रतैस्तथा

Transliteration

te sarve brāhmaṇā rājan tapobhir niyamais tathā | upavāsaiś ca vividhair yamaiḥ kaṣṭa-vratais tathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, all those brāhmaṇas—through austerities and disciplined observances, through various fasts, through restraints, and through rigorous vows—were engaged in severe spiritual practice.”

Word by Word

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तपःभिः: by austerities
• तपःभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नियमैः: by observances/restraints
• नियमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• यमैः: by restraints (yamas)
• यमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कष्टव्रतैः: by severe vows
• कष्टव्रतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्टव्रत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King (rājan)
• brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic self-cultivation: moral restraint (yama), disciplined observance (niyama), fasting, and rigorous vows are presented as means by which brāhmaṇas pursue purity, spiritual strength, and ethical steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes to the king that the brāhmaṇas involved in the episode are engaged in intense religious discipline—performing austerities, keeping observances, undertaking fasts, and maintaining strict vows.