Mahabharata 9.42.13 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 42, Shloka 13

Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha

Indra–Namuci Expiation

Devanagari script

एवं निश्चित्य भगवान्‌ विश्वामित्रो महामुनि: । सस्मार सरितां श्रेष्ठां क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन:

Transliteration

evaṁ niścitya bhagavān viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | sasmāra saritāṁ śreṣṭhāṁ krodha-saṁrakta-locanaḥ ||

Translation

Setelah menetapkan demikian, maharṣi Viśvāmitra yang mulia—matanya merah menyala oleh amarah—lalu mengingati dan menyeru Sarasvatī, yang terunggul antara segala sungai.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• निश्चित्य: having decided/determined
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√चि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सस्मार: remembered/called to mind
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ
• Form: लिट् (perfect), past (perfect), third, singular, parasmaipada

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित्
• Form: feminine, genitive, plural

• श्रेष्ठाम्: the best
• श्रेष्ठाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः: whose eyes were reddened with anger
• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध-संरक्त-लोचन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Viśvāmitra
• Sarasvatī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension between firm resolve and the influence of anger: when determination is fueled by wrath, even spiritual power and sacred forces may be invoked in ways that can lead to far-reaching consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Viśvāmitra, after making a definite decision, becomes visibly enraged (eyes reddened) and then mentally invokes/recalls Sarasvatī, the foremost river—signaling the initiation of an action involving that sacred river.