Shloka 48

पश्चिमदिशि अन्वेषणादेशः

Instructions for the Western Search Party

Devanagari script

यत्र तिष्ठति धर्मज्ञस्तपसा स्वेन भावितः।मेरुसावर्णिरित्येव ख्यातो वै ब्रह्मणा समः।।4.42.48।।

Transliteration

yatra tiṣṭhati dharmajñas tapasā svena bhāvitaḥ | merusāvarṇir ity eva khyāto vai brahmaṇā samaḥ || 4.42.48 ||

Translation

അവിടെ ധർമ്മജ്ഞനായി, സ്വന്തം തപസ്സാൽ സംസ്‌കൃതനായ ‘മേരു‌സാവർണി’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനും ബ്രഹ്മസമനുമായ മഹാത്മാവ് വസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• tiṣṭhati: stays/stands
• tiṣṭhati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• dharmajñaḥ: knower of dharma
• dharmajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: dharmasya jñaḥ = “knower of dharma”

• tapasā: by penance
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• svena: by his own
• svena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun-adjective (सर्वनाम-विशेषण), Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tapasā

• bhāvitaḥ: imbued/ennobled
• bhāvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु) + ṇic? (भावयति) / here: bhāvita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); “made/imbued/ennobled”

• merusāvarṇiḥ: Merusavarni
• merusāvarṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru-sāvarṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper name; compound analysis: meru + sāvarṇi (name-formation)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• khyātaḥ: is renowned/known
• khyātaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating emphasis/assertion

• brahmaṇā: with Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Upamāna/Instrument (उपमान/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (here masculine as Brahmā), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samaḥ: equal
• samaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

'The sage Merusavarna, knower of dharma, famous for his penance and comparable to Brahma lives there with him on Meru.

Characters & Entities

• Merusāvarṇi
• Brahmā
• Meru

FAQs

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

Dharma is linked with inner discipline: true authority is grounded in tapas (austerity) and dharma-jñāna (knowledge of right conduct), making the sage worthy of trust.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva describes a venerable sage on the route and signals him as a reliable source of guidance for the search mission.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Spiritual credibility—being ‘dharmajña’ and ‘tapasā bhāvita’—the virtue of self-cultivation that commands respect.