Shloka 34

नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura

Devanagari script

शप्त्वा च तान्‌ महाभागस्तपस्येव मनो दधे । एवं स शप्तवान्‌ राजन्‌ वसूनष्टी तपोधन:

Transliteration

śaptvā ca tān mahābhāgas tapasy eva mano dadhe | evaṃ sa śaptavān rājan vasūn aṣṭau tapodhanaḥ ||

Translation

彼らを呪い終えると、その大聖仙は心をただ苦行（タパス）へと戻した。かくして、王よ、苦行力の宝庫たるその梵仙は、八柱のヴァスを呪詛したのである。 （この物語は、神々といえども過ちの報いを免れず、鍛え上げられた霊力が怒りと結べば、報復の器ともなり得ることを示している。）

Word by Word

• शप्त्वा: having cursed
• शप्त्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

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

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• महाभागः: the illustrious one
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दधे: placed/fixed
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, 3rd, singular

• एवं: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवं

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शप्तवान्: having cursed / one who cursed
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• वसून्: the Vasus
• वसून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• तपोधनः: the ascetic (rich in austerity)
• तपोधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Vasus (the Eight Vasus)
• King (rājan; addressed listener, traditionally Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights moral accountability: status—even divine—does not exempt one from consequences. It also shows the potency of tapas (ascetic discipline), which can uphold dharma but, when mixed with anger, can manifest as a severe punitive force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana states that the great ascetic, after pronouncing a curse, returns his mind to austerity. He has cursed the eight Vasus, setting in motion the subsequent events in which the Vasus must face the results of their transgression and seek relief.