Shloka 10

Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins

Devanagari script

वसता राजशार्दूल राक्षसान्‌ शमयिष्यता । जनस्थाने शिरश्कछिन्नं राक्षसस्य दुरात्मन:

Transliteration

vasatā rājaśārdūla rākṣasān śamayīṣyatā | janasthāne śiraśchinnaṃ rākṣasasya durātmanaḥ ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ രാജശാർദൂലാ! അവിടെ വസിച്ച് രാക്ഷസന്മാരെ ശമിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ചിരിക്കെ ജനസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ ആ ദുഷ്ടാത്മ രാക്ഷസന്റെ ശിരസ് ഛേദിക്കപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

वसताby/with (one) dwelling; while dwelling

राजशार्दूलO tiger among kings

राक्षसान्the Rakshasas (demons)

शमयिष्यताby/with (one) who will pacify/subdue

जनस्थानेin Janasthana

शिरःhead

छिन्नम्cut off

राक्षसस्यof the Rakshasa

दुरात्मनःof the wicked-souled (evil one)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājaśārdūla (addressed king/hero)

rākṣasa(s)

Janasthāna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal that destructive forces harming society (symbolized by rākṣasas) should be restrained and removed; decisive action against wickedness is portrayed as a form of protection and moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that while the addressed hero-king was residing with the purpose of subduing rākṣasas, a wicked rākṣasa in the region called Janasthāna was beheaded—indicating the successful suppression of a violent threat.