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Shloka 40

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini’s Questions on the Mahabharata and the Origin of the Wise Birds

Sanskrit

तपस्यन्तं नगेंद्रस्थं या वः क्षोभयते बलात् ।

दुर्वाससं मुनिश्रेष्ठं तां वो मन्ये गुणाधिकाम् ॥

Transliteration

tapasyantaṃ nagendrasthaṃ yā vaḥ kṣobhayate balāt | durvāsasaṃ muniśreṣṭhaṃ tāṃ vo manye guṇādhikām ||

Translation

汝らを力強く動揺させるその彼女は、山々の主のもとで最勝の聖仙ドゥルヴァーサスが苦行を修している時に現れる。私は彼女を、徳と卓越において汝らに勝る者と見なす。

Word by Word
तपस्यन्तम्performing austerities
तपस्यन्तम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + य (धातु-आधारित)
Formवर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'तपस्यन्' = तपः आचरन्
नगेन्द्रस्थम्dwelling on the mountain-king
नगेन्द्रस्थम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootनग + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: 'नगेन्द्रे स्थितः' (situated on the lord of mountains)
याshe who
या:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)
वःof you
वः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural) (enclitic)
क्षोभयतेagitates, disturbs
क्षोभयते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootक्षुभ् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): 'causes to be agitated'
बलात्by force
बलात्:
Hetu (हेतु/Cause-manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb): 'by force/forcibly'
दुर्वाससम्Durvāsas
दुर्वाससम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
मुनिश्रेष्ठम्best of sages
मुनिश्रेष्ठम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'मुनीनां श्रेष्ठः' (best of sages)
ताम्her
ताम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
वःof you
वः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural) (enclitic)
मन्येI think, I consider
मन्ये:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद
गुणाधिकाम्more excellent in qualities
गुणाधिकाम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootगुण + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'गुणैः अधिका'
Speakers
Uncertain from verse-only input (requires surrounding verses to identify the speaker in the opening dialogue)
Primary Deities
Durvāsas (ṛṣi)
Shakti Aspects
Not explicit; a powerful ‘she’ is referenced but not named as Devī in this verse alone
Key Themes
Tapas (ascetic power)Spiritual hierarchy based on guṇa (excellence)Awe of superior potency (śakti/tejas)

FAQs

The verse implies that true superiority is measured by inner excellence (guṇa) and spiritual potency rather than status alone. Even beings who presume power are to recognize a higher force—especially one capable of disturbing them despite the presence of a great ascetic like Durvāsas.

This verse functions as narrative framing (ākhyāna) rather than a direct statement of sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita. At most, it supports vaṃśānucarita/character-focused narration by referencing the famed ṛṣi Durvāsas and establishing relative spiritual power within the story context.

Durvāsas symbolizes concentrated tapas/tejas (ascetic fire). The unnamed ‘she’ who can still ‘agitate’ others suggests a superior śakti that transcends ordinary ascetic radiance—hinting at a principle of higher power (often read in Purāṇic idiom as Devī/Śakti), though the verse itself does not explicitly identify her.

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