Shloka 27

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

यवक्रीत उवाच न चैतदेवं क्रियते देवराज ममेप्सितम्‌ । महता नियमेनाहं तप्स्ये घोरतरं तप:,यवक्रीतने कहा--देवराज! यदि इस प्रकार आप मेरे इष्ट मनोरथकी सिद्धि नहीं करते हैं तो मैं और भी कठोर नियम लेकर अत्यन्त भयंकर तपस्यामें लग जाऊँगा

Transliteration

yavakrīta uvāca | na caitad evaṁ kriyate devarāja mamepsitam | mahatā niyamenāhaṁ tapsye ghorataraṁ tapaḥ ||

Translation

Yavakrīta said: “O king of the gods, if you will not grant my desired boon in this manner, then I shall undertake an even more dreadful austerity, binding myself with a greater vow.” In the ethical frame of the episode, his words reveal a will to force divine assent through intensified tapas rather than to align desire with restraint and right conduct.

Word by Word

• यवक्रीतः: Yavakrīta (proper name)
• यवक्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवक्रीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• क्रियते: is done, is performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Impersonal (karmani-prayoga sense: 'is done')

• देवराज: O king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराज: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• ईप्सितम्: desired, wished-for
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महता: with great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• नियमेन: by a vow/discipline
• नियमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• तप्स्ये: I shall perform austerity
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Future (Simple future), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• घोरतरम्: more terrible, harsher
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोरतर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

यवक्रीत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• यवक्रीत (Yavakrīta)
• देवराज (Indra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension between spiritual discipline and ego-driven insistence: tapas and niyama are meant to purify desire, but here they are wielded as leverage to compel a boon, foreshadowing ethical imbalance when power is sought without humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yavakrīta addresses Indra (Devarāja) and threatens to intensify his austerities with stricter vows if his desired request is not fulfilled, escalating the confrontation between an ascetic’s demand and the god’s reluctance.