Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततः स प्रविशन्नेव स्वमाश्रमपदं मुनि:,काष्ठ भूतो55श्रमपदे वसति सम महातपा: । आश्रममें प्रवेश करते ही देवलमुनिने वहाँ बैठे हुए जैगीषव्यको देखा, परंतु जैगीषव्यने उस समय भी किसी तरह उनसे बात नहीं की। वे महातपस्वी मुनि आश्रमपर काष्ठमौन होकर बैठे हुए थे

Transliteration

tataḥ sa praviśann eva svam āśramapadaṁ muniḥ, kāṣṭhabhūto ’śramapade vasati sma mahātapāḥ |

Translation

それから聖仙が自らのアーシュラマに入ると、そこにジャイギーシャヴヤ（Jaigiṣavya）が座しているのを見た。だがジャイギーシャヴヤは少しも言葉を交わさず、大苦行者は精舎にあって木のように堅い沈黙の誓いを守っていた。この場面はタパス（tapas）の規律と抑制の倫理的力を示す。ここでの沈黙は単なる無言ではなく、近づく者の忍耐と自制を試す、意図された誓戒なのである。

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सःhe

प्रविशन्entering

एवindeed, just

स्वम्his own

आश्रमपदम्hermitage-place, abode of the hermitage

मुनिःthe sage

काष्ठभूतःbecome like wood (motionless/silent)

आश्रमपदेin the hermitage-place

वसतिdwells, stays

समम्equally, evenly; calmly

महातपाःone of great austerity (great ascetic)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Devala (sage)

Jaigiṣavya (sage)

Āśrama (hermitage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas expressed as disciplined restraint: a deliberate silence (mauna) that cultivates inner control and tests the seeker’s patience and humility. Ethical strength is shown not only in speech and action, but also in the capacity to refrain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Devala enters his hermitage and sees Jaigiṣavya seated there. Jaigiṣavya remains unmoving and uncommunicative, observing a strict, wood-like silence, and does not respond to Devala.