Shloka 55

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

निगृह्य तपसा मृत्युं लोकानां हितकाम्यया।।3.11.55।।यस्य भ्रात्रा कृतेयं दिक्छरण्या पुण्यकर्मणा।

Transliteration

nigṛhya tapasā mṛtyuṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā ||

yasya bhrātrā kṛteyaṃ dik-śaraṇyā puṇya-karmaṇā |

Translation

ലോകങ്ങളുടെ ഹിതം ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് അവൻ തപസ്സാൽ മരണത്തെയും നിയന്ത്രിച്ചു; പുണ്യകർമ്മിയായ അവന്റെ സഹോദരൻ ഈ ദിക്കിനെ ശരണ്യമായ അഭയസ്ഥാനമാക്കി.

Word by Word

• निगृह्य: having restrained
• निगृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• तपसा: by penance
• तपसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• हितकाम्यया: with desire for (their) welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित+काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हितस्य काम्या = desire for welfare)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• भ्रात्रा: by (his) brother
• भ्रात्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• कृता: made, rendered
• कृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दिक् इति विशेष्येण सह

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• दिक्: direction, quarter
• दिक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• शरण्या: worthy of refuge
• शरण्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दिक् इति विशेषणम्

• पुण्यकर्मणा: by the doer of holy deeds
• पुण्यकर्मणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य+कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुण्यं कर्म यस्य सः)

Characters & Entities

• Agastya’s brother (implied)
• Death (Mṛtyu, personified)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Loka-saṅgraha (welfare of all): true ascetic power is validated by compassion and protection—making a place safe for others.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama praises the sanctity and protective power of the sage’s brother, explaining why the area is a refuge.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ascetic’s compassion-driven austerity: tapas directed toward public good rather than personal display.