Shloka 2

मधुकैटभवधोपाख्यानम्

The Account of the Slaying of Madhu and Kaiṭabha

Devanagari script

महातपा दीर्घायुश्व॒ बको राजनू्‌ नात्र कार्या विचारणा,“राजन्‌! बक महान्‌ तपस्वी होनेके कारण दीर्घायु हुए थे। इस विषयमें कोई अन्यथा विचार नहीं करना चाहिये”

Transliteration

mahātapā dīrghāyuś ca bako rājan nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「王よ、バカは大いなる苦行者であったがゆえに長寿を得た。この点について疑いを差し挟むべきではなく、別の詮索も不要である。」

Word by Word

महातपाgreat ascetic (one of great austerity)

दीर्घायु:long-lived

चand

बकःBaka (proper name)

राजन्O king

नnot

अत्रhere / in this matter

कार्याto be done / necessary

विचारणाconsideration / deliberation

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Baka

King (rājan)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links longevity with tapas (austerity) and urges the listener to accept the causal connection—spiritual discipline is presented as a legitimate source of extraordinary life-span, not something to be dismissed by doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and clarifies that Baka’s long life is explained by his great ascetic power, closing the matter by discouraging further suspicion or alternative speculation.