Shloka 73

Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

स्वाहा वौषट ब्राह्मणा: सौरभेयी धर्म चाग्रयं कालचक्रं बल॑ च | यशो दमो बुद्धिमतां स्थितिश्न शुभाशुभं ये मुनयश्न सप्त

Transliteration

vāyudeva uvāca | svāhā vauṣaṭ brāhmaṇāḥ saurabheyī dharmaś cāgryaṃ kālacakraṃ balaṃ ca | yaśo damo buddhimatāṃ sthitiś ca śubhāśubhaṃ ye munayaś ca sapta ||

Translation

ବାୟୁ କହିଲେ— ଯଜ୍ଞକ୍ରମରେ ‘ସ୍ୱାହା’ ଓ ‘ବୌଷଟ୍’, ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ, ସୌରଭେୟୀ ଗାଈ, ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଧର୍ମ, କାଳଚକ୍ର ଓ ବଳ ଅଛି। ଏହିପରି ଯଶ, ଦମ, ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନଙ୍କ ସ୍ଥିରତା, ଶୁଭାଶୁଭ କର୍ମଫଳ ଓ ସପ୍ତର୍ଷିମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଛନ୍ତି। ଏ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ—ପୂର୍ବେ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖିତ ଦିବ୍ୟତତ୍ତ୍ୱସମୂହ ସହ—ମହାଦେବଠାରୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ବୋଲି ଜାଣ।

Word by Word

• स्वाहा: svāhā (oblation-call)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा

• वौषट्: vauṣaṭ (oblation-call)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वौषट्

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सौरभेयी: a cow (Saurabheyī)
• सौरभेयी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरभेयी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अग्र्यम्: the best, foremost
• अग्र्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कालचक्रम्: wheel of time
• कालचक्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालचक्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यशः: fame, glory
• यशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दमः: self-control
• दमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बुद्धिमताम्: of the intelligent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• स्थितिः: state, steadiness
• स्थितिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शुभाशुभम्: good and evil (auspicious/inauspicious)
• शुभाशुभम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभाशुभ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ये: who, which
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्त

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Wind-god)
• Svāhā
• Vauṣaṭ
• Brāhmaṇas
• Saurabheyī (cow of Surabhi-lineage)
• Dharma
• Kālacakra (Wheel of Time)
• Bala (Strength)
• Yaśas (Fame)
• Dama (Self-restraint)
• Sthiti of the wise (Steadfastness)
• Śubhāśubha (Auspicious/Inauspicious karma)
• Saptarṣi (Seven Sages)
• Mahādeva (Śiva) (implied as the source in the surrounding passage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links ritual speech (svāhā, vauṣaṭ), social-religious authority (Brāhmaṇas), and ethical qualities (dharma, self-restraint, wise steadiness) with cosmic principles (Time’s wheel, karmic auspicious/inauspicious results), presenting them as parts of a single sacred order ultimately grounded in Mahādeva.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva continues a long enumeration of divine, ritual, and moral categories, concluding that these principles and beings should be understood as originating from Mahādeva, reinforcing a Śaiva-centered cosmology within the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic discourse.