Shloka 18

विश्वावसुप्र भृतिभिरर्गन्धर्वे: स्तुतिवन्दनै: । स्तूयमान द्विजाग्रयैश्न ऋग्यजु:सामसम्भवै:,विश्वावसु आदि गन्धर्व स्तुति और वन्दनापूर्वक उनके गुण गाते थे। श्रेष्ठ ब्रह्मर्षिगण ऋग्वेद, यजुर्वेद और सामवेदके इन्द्रदेवतासम्बन्धी मन्त्रोंद्रारा उनका स्तवन कर रहे थे

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | Viśvāvasu-prabhṛtibhir gandharvaiḥ stuti-vandanaiḥ | stūyamānaḥ dvijāgraiś ca ṛg-yajuḥ-sāma-sambhavaiḥ ||

Vaiśampāyana said: He was being praised by Gandharvas—led by Viśvāvasu—through hymns of eulogy and reverent salutations. At the same time, foremost among the twice-born sages extolled him with Vedic chants drawn from the Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman traditions, framing his greatness within the authority of sacred speech and disciplined devotion.

विश्वावसुViśvāvasu (a Gandharva)
विश्वावसु:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविश्वावसु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रforth, intensely
प्र:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र
भृतिभिःwith offerings/gifts (honours)
भृतिभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभृति
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Plural
गन्धर्वैःby the Gandharvas
गन्धर्वैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगन्धर्व
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
स्तुति-वन्दनैःwith praises and salutations
स्तुति-वन्दनैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootस्तुति-वन्दन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
स्तूयमानःbeing praised
स्तूयमानः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्तूयमान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (present participle)
द्विज-अग्र्यैःby the foremost of the twice-born (Brahmins)
द्विज-अग्र्यैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज-अग्र्य
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
ऋग्-यजुः-साम-सम्भवैःwith (hymns) arising from Ṛg, Yajus and Sāman (Vedas)
ऋग्-यजुः-साम-सम्भवैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootऋग्-यजुः-साम-सम्भव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
V
Viśvāvasu
G
Gandharvas
D
Dvijāgryas (foremost Brahmin sages)
Ṛgveda
Y
Yajurveda
S
Sāmaveda

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights that true eminence is acknowledged through disciplined, sacred forms of speech—praise offered with reverence (vandana) and grounded in Vedic authority. It implies an ethical ideal: honor should be expressed in regulated, tradition-sanctioned ways rather than through flattery or coercion.

A revered figure is being publicly celebrated: Gandharvas led by Viśvāvasu sing praises and offer salutations, while leading Brahmin sages simultaneously extol him using chants derived from the three Vedas (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman), creating a ceremonial atmosphere of exaltation.