Shloka 14

सम्पातिवृत्तान्तः

Sampāti’s Account and the Sage Niśākara

Devanagari script

अथापश्यमदूरस्थमृषिं ज्वलिततेजसम्।कृताभिषेकं दुर्धर्षमुपावृत्तमुदङ्मुखम्।।4.60.14।।

Transliteration

athāpaśyam adūrastham ṛṣiṃ jvalita-tejasam | kṛtābhiṣekaṃ durdharṣam upāvṛttam udaṅ-mukham || 4.60.14 ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ അടുത്തുതന്നെ ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന തപസ്തേജസ്സുള്ള ഋഷിയെ കണ്ടു—അഭിഷേകസ്നാനം പൂർത്തിയാക്കി, അജയ്യനായി, തിരിഞ്ഞ് ഉത്തരമുഖനായി നിന്നവനെ.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse particle/adverb

• apaśyam: I saw
• apaśyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• adūrastham: not far away/nearby
• adūrastham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + dūra (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (√sthā धातु, क्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ṛṣim

• ṛṣim: sage
• ṛṣim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• jvalita-tejasam: of blazing splendor
• jvalita-tejasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvalita (√jval धातु, क्त) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ṛṣim

• kṛta-abhiṣekam: having completed ablution
• kṛta-abhiṣekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ धातु, क्त) + abhiṣeka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'having performed ablution/ritual bath'

• durdharṣam: unassailable
• durdharṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur- (उपसर्ग) + dharṣa (√dhṛṣ धातु, घञ्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ṛṣim

• upāvṛttam: turned back/returned
• upāvṛttam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-ā-√vṛt (वृत् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'having turned/returned'

• udaṅmukham: facing north
• udaṅmukham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udak/ud- (उद्) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'north-facing'

Context

'He was followed by bears, deer, tigers, lions, elephants and snakes just as living beings follow their creator.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣi (Niśākara, implied)

FAQs

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

Respect for tapas and purity: the sage’s disciplined life is presented as a source of moral authority and protective spiritual power.

What is the narrative situation?

Sampāti describes first beholding the sage after his ablutions, noting his radiance and composed orientation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sage’s self-mastery—inner discipline expressed as ‘tejas’ and unassailable calm.