Shloka 60

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

ततो भ्रातुर्वचश्श्रुत्वा वातापिर्मेषवन्नदन्।।।।भित्त्वा भित्त्वा शरीराणि ब्राह्मणानां विनिष्पतत्।

Transliteration

tato bhrātur vacaḥ śrutvā vātāpir meṣavan nadan | bhittvā bhittvā śarīrāṇi brāhmaṇānāṃ viniṣpatat || 3.11.60 ||

Translation

പിന്നെ സഹോദരന്റെ വിളി കേട്ട ഉടൻ വാതാപി മേേഷത്തെപ്പോലെ മേഞ്ഞ് വിളിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരുടെ ശരീരങ്ങൾ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും പിളർത്തി പൊട്ടിച്ചിറങ്ങി പുറത്തേക്ക് ചാടിവന്നു.

Word by Word

ततःthen

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

वचःspeech, words

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

वातापिःVatapi

मेषवत्like a sheep

नदन्bleating/roaring

भित्त्वाhaving split, tearing through

भित्त्वाagain and again splitting

शरीराणिbodies

ब्राह्मणानाम्of the brahmins

विनिष्पतत्burst out, sprang forth

Context

Then hearing his brother's voice, Vatapi would bleat like a sheep and jump out, tearing open the bodies of those brahmins.

Characters & Entities

Vātāpi

Ilvala (implied as ‘brother’)

brāhmaṇa (brahmins)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights adharma: deception and violence directed at the innocent—especially those engaged in sacred duty—are portrayed as profoundly unrighteous and socially destructive.

What is the narrative situation?

In the Ilvala–Vātāpi scheme, Vātāpi (disguised as food) is eaten by unsuspecting brahmins; on Ilvala’s summons he bursts out, killing them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through negation), the virtue implied is ahiṃsā and protection of the righteous—an obligation later taken up by dhārmic heroes and sages.