Shloka 1

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

नप्जला रत () आज अत+- - परा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | sā śaptā tena kruddhena viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā | tasmiṁs tīrthavare śubhre śoṇitaṁ samupāvahat |

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ക്രോധിച്ച ധീമാനായ വിശ്വാമിത്രൻ അവളെ ശപിച്ചിരുന്നു; ആ ശാപഫലമായി ആ ശുഭ്രവും ശ്രേഷ്ഠവുമായ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ അവൾ രക്തം ഒഴുക്കി കൊണ്ടുപോയി.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• सा: she (that river Sarasvatī)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शप्ता: cursed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• क्रुद्धेन: angered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विश्वामित्रेण: by Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धीमता: wise, intelligent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तीर्थवरे: in the excellent sacred ford
• तीर्थवरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थवर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शुभ्रे: pure, bright
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समुपावहत्: carried/flowed bringing (towards), conveyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह्
• Form: Imperfect (Anadyatana-bhuta), Third, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Viśvāmitra
• Sarasvatī (river/goddess implied)
• tīrtha (sacred ford)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the potency of a rishi’s tapas and speech: anger and curse can have far-reaching effects, even disrupting a sacred tīrtha. Implicitly it urges restraint (krodha-nigraha) and reverence for holy places, while preparing for the theme of later purification and release from the curse’s effects.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that Sarasvatī, having been cursed by the enraged sage Viśvāmitra, caused blood to flow/appear in the waters at a renowned sacred ford. This sets up the chapter’s ensuing account of how the curse is mitigated and the waters are restored to purity through ritual and ascetic effort.