Shloka 38

Kapālamocana-tīrtha (Auśanasa) and Balarāma’s Sarasvatī Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

इदमत्यद्भुतं राजन्‌ शृण्वाशच्चर्यतरं भुवि । महर्षेश्वरितं यादृक्‌ त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्‌

Transliteration

idam atyadbhutaṁ rājan śṛṇu āścaryataraṁ bhuvi | maharṣer īśvaritaṁ yādṛk triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam, rājan ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—രാജാവേ, ഭൂമിയിൽ ഉള്ളതിലൊക്കെയും അത്യന്തം അത്ഭുതകരമായ ഈ വൃത്താന്തം ശ്രവിക്കൂ. ത്രിലോകങ്ങളിലും പ്രസിദ്ധമായ മഹർഷി മങ്കണകന്റെ അതിവിസ്മയകരമായ ചരിതം കേൾക്കുക.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अति-अद्भुतम्: exceedingly wonderful
• अति-अद्भुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शृणु: hear (listen)
• शृणु: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आश्चर्यतरम्: more astonishing
• आश्चर्यतरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्चर्यतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• महर्षि-ईश्वरितम्: governed/ordained by a great sage
• महर्षि-ईश्वरितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईश्वरित (कृदन्त from √ईश)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यादृक्: such as; of what kind
• यादृक्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: यादृश्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: All (agreeing), Locative, Plural

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• विश्रुतम्: well-known; renowned
• विश्रुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्रुत (ppp from √श्रु with vi-)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājan (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya by context)
• maharṣi (the great seer; context points to Maṅkaṇaka in the ensuing narrative)
• tri-loka (the three worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical-literary lesson through wonder: extraordinary deeds of sages become exemplars and cautions. By inviting the king to listen, it emphasizes receptivity (śravaṇa) and the value of learning dharma through renowned narratives about ascetics whose conduct is celebrated across the worlds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, continuing his narration to the king, introduces a highly famous and astonishing episode concerning a great seer (identified in the surrounding passage as Maṅkaṇaka). This verse functions as a preface, heightening anticipation for the upcoming account within the Sarasvata episode connected to Baladeva’s pilgrimage.