Shloka 14

Āraṇyaka-parva Adhyāya 277 — Sāvitrī-Upākhyāna: Aśvapati’s Vows and Sāvitrī’s Birth; Search for a Suitable Husband Begins

Devanagari script

नागायुतसमप्राणा वायुवेगसमा जवे । यत्रेच्छकनिवासाक्षु केचिदत्र वनौकस:,उनके शरीरमें दस हजार हाथियोंके समान बल था। तेज चलनेमें वे वायुके वेगको लजा देते थे। उनका कोई घर-बार नहीं था; जहाँ इच्छा होती वहीं रह जाते थे। उनमेंसे कुछ लोग केवल वनोंमें ही रहते थे

Transliteration

nāgāyutasamaprāṇā vāyuvegasaṃmā jave | yatrecchekanivāsākṣu kecid atra vanaukasaḥ ||

Translation

ಮಾರ್ಕಂಡೇಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಹತ್ತು ಸಾವಿರ ಆನೆಗಳ ಸಮಾನ ಪ್ರಾಣಬಲವಿತ್ತು; ವೇಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ಗಾಳಿಯ ವೇಗಕ್ಕೂ ಸಮಾನರು. ಅವರಿಗೆ ಸ್ಥಿರ ನಿವಾಸವಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ; ಇಚ್ಛಿಸಿದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ತಂಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲವರು ಕೇವಲ ಅರಣ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲೇ ವಾಸಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.

Word by Word

नागायुतसमप्राणाःhaving strength equal to ten thousand elephants

वायुवेगसमाःequal to the speed of the wind

जवेin speed / in swiftness

यत्रwhere

इच्छकdesiring / as they wished

निवासात्from (any fixed) dwelling / residence

केचित्some (people)

अत्रhere

वनौकसःforest-dwellers / those dwelling in the woods

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

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 a life of non-attachment: despite immense power and speed, these beings do not cling to property or fixed residence, illustrating a renunciant ideal where freedom of movement and simplicity of living are valued over possession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing a group characterized by extraordinary strength and swiftness, emphasizing their homeless, wandering mode of life; some among them are specifically identified as living exclusively in the forest.