Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स च तैव्यथित: शक्रो वसिष्ठं शरणं ययौ । ततो<5भयं ददौ तेभ्यो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:

Transliteration

sa ca tair vyathitaḥ śakro vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau | tato 'bhayaṃ dadau tebhyo vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ |

Translation

അവരാൽ വ്യഥിതനായ ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) വസിഷ്ഠന്റെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചു; അപ്പോൾ ഭഗവാൻ ഋഷി വസിഷ്ഠൻ ദേവന്മാർക്ക് അഭയം ദാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• व्यथितः: afflicted, distressed
• व्यथितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ययौ: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अभयम्: fearlessness, protection
• अभयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Plural

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: venerable, divine
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Shakra)
• Vasistha
• Daityas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When worldly power is shaken, one should seek śaraṇa (refuge) in a dharmic authority; the protection (abhaya) granted by a true ṛṣi arises from tapas and righteousness, not merely from weapons or political strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra is troubled by the Daityas and approaches the sage Vasiṣṭha for protection; Vasiṣṭha then grants fearlessness to the gods, indicating his capacity to safeguard them through spiritual power.