Shloka 17

Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)

Devanagari script

बभूव दुर्मना राजंश्विन्तयामास च प्रभु: । मोक्षार्थमकरोद्‌ू यत्नं ब्राह्मणैः सहित: पुरा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | babhūva durmanā rājan śvintayāmāsa ca prabhuḥ | mokṣārtham akarod yatnaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ sahitaḥ purā | krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān |

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—രാജാവേ, ആ പ്രഭു മനസ്സു തളർന്ന് ഗാഢചിന്തയിൽ മുങ്ങി. മുൻകാലത്ത് മോക്ഷാർത്ഥം ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരോടൊപ്പം അദ്ദേഹം ശ്രമം നടത്തിയിരുന്നു. ധർമ്മാത്മാവും പരാക്രമശാലിയും ആയിരുന്നിട്ടും മഹാക്രോധം അവനെ പിടികൂടി; അതിന്റെ നൈതികഭാരവും ഫലവും അതിഗുരുതരമായ പ്രവർത്തികൾ ആരംഭിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• बभूव: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दुर्मनाः: sad-minded, dejected
• दुर्मनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• चिन्तयामास: pondered, thought
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• प्रभुः: the lord/master (the king)
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मोक्षार्थम्: for the sake of liberation
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अकरोत्: did/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणैः: with/through Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सहितः: accompanied (by)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from सह्/सह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Rājan (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a dharmic and powerful person can be overwhelmed by krodha; the verse juxtaposes the pursuit of mokṣa and counsel with brāhmaṇas against the destabilizing force of intense anger, highlighting the ethical danger of letting wrath govern action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a ruler/lord who becomes mentally distressed and deeply worried; recalling or undertaking an earlier effort aimed at liberation and supported by brāhmaṇas, he is also portrayed as being seized by great anger, setting the stage for consequential decisions.