Shloka 38

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

तमुग्रपाशो वरुणो भगवान्‌ सलिलेश्वर:

Transliteration

tam ugrapāśo varuṇo bhagavān salileśvaraḥ

Translation

तेव्हा उग्र पाशधारी, जलांचा अधिपती, भगवान वरुण तेथे उपस्थित होता।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उग्रपाशः: one having fierce nooses
• उग्रपाशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्रपाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सलिलेश्वरः: lord of the waters
• सलिलेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिलेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Varuṇa
• pāśa (noose)
• salila (waters)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights divine sovereignty and moral governance: Varuṇa, as lord of the waters and guardian of order, is portrayed with the ‘noose’ symbolizing restraint—an ethical reminder that transgression invites binding consequences under a higher law.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya introduces Varuṇa with honorific epithets—‘the blessed one,’ ‘lord of waters,’ and ‘bearer of the fierce noose’—signaling Varuṇa’s authoritative entry or presence in the unfolding episode.