Shloka 11

Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī

Devanagari script

त॑ं समासीनमागम्य कापिलं मण्डलं महत्‌ | पञ्चस्रोतसि निष्णात: पज्चरात्रविशारद:

Transliteration

taṁ samāsīnam āgamya kāpilaṁ maṇḍalaṁ mahat | pañcasrotasi niṣṇātaḥ pañcarātraviśāradaḥ ||

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಆಸುರಿ ಮುನಿ ಆಶ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಸೀನರಾಗಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಕಪಿಲಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತಾನುಯಾಯಿ ಮುನಿಗಳ ಮಹಾಮಂಡಲವು ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಬಂತು. ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಪಂಚಶಿಖನೂ ಇದ್ದನು—ಪಂಚಸ್ರೋತ (ಇಂದ್ರಿಯ-ಮನೋಪ್ರವಾಹ)ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಷ್ಣಾತ, ಪಂಚರಾತ್ರ ಪರಂಪರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶಾರದ. ಅವರು ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬನೊಳಗೂ ಇರುವ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ತತ್ತ್ವ ಮತ್ತು ಪರಮಸತ್ಯ ಕುರಿತು ಉಪದೇಶವನ್ನು ಬೇಡಿದರು.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समासीनम्: seated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु) → समासीन (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगम्य: having approached
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगम्य
• Form: Absolutive (त्वान्त/ल्यप्), Active

• कापिलम्: Kapila-related (Sāṅkhya-related)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कापिल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मण्डलम्: circle; group; assembly
• मण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चस्रोतसि: in the five streams/channels
• पञ्चस्रोतसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-स्रोतस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• निष्णातः: well-versed; proficient
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-√स्ना (धातु) → निष्णात (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चरात्रविशारदः: expert in the Pañcarātra (tradition/texts)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चरात्र-विशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Āsuri (muni)
• Kapila (doctrine/Sāṅkhya)
• Pañcaśikha
• Pañcarātra
• āśrama (hermitage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a quest for higher knowledge: sages approach a seated teacher to inquire into the avyakta (the unmanifest) and the supreme truth present within beings. It highlights disciplined expertise (niṣṇāta, viśārada) as a qualification for subtle inquiry, and it places Sāṅkhya (Kāpila) and Pañcarātra learning in a shared ethical-spiritual pursuit of liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s narration, Āsuri is seated in his hermitage when a large group of Kapila-aligned sages arrives. They request instruction about the inner, unmanifest principle and ultimate reality. Pañcaśikha is singled out as a distinguished member of the group, renowned for mastery over the ‘five streams’ and for expertise in Pañcarātra.