Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कुशचीराम्बरधर: परं नियममास्थित: । वाग्यतो राजशार्दूल: स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया

Transliteration

kuśacīrāmbaradharaḥ paraṃ niyamam āsthitaḥ | vāgyato rājaśārdūlaḥ sa svargagatīkāmyayā

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。クシャ草と樹皮の衣をまとい、虎のごとき王は最上の苦行の規律に入った。言葉を慎み、天界への道を得んとの願いをもってその誓戒を守った。

Word by Word

• कुशचीराम्बरधरः: one who wears garments of kuśa-grass and bark
• कुशचीराम्बरधरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशचीराम्बरधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: supreme; highest
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नियमम्: vow; restraint; observance
• नियमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having undertaken; having adopted
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• वाग्यतः: restrained in speech; silent
• वाग्यतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाग्यत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजशार्दूलः: tiger among kings (O best of kings)
• राजशार्दूलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजशार्दूल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वर्गगतिः: going to heaven; heavenly course
• स्वर्गगतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गगति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• काम्यया: with desire; for the sake of wishing
• काम्यया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājaśārdūla (a king, unnamed in this verse)
• svarga (heaven)
• kuśa-grass
• bark-cloth (cīra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights niyama and vāg-yama (discipline and restraint of speech) as key components of tapas: ethical self-control expressed through simple living and regulated conduct, undertaken with a clear spiritual aim (here, attainment of svarga).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a king adopting ascetic markers—kuśa-grass and bark garments—and entering a strict observance. He controls his speech and performs austerity motivated by the wish to reach heaven.