Shloka 34

Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra

Devanagari script

पश्यस्वैतन्मया सार्ध पुण्यं पापप्रमोचनम्‌ । तत्र वै सततं देवा मुनयश्व॒ सनातना: । दृश्यन्ते ब्राह्मणै राजन्‌ पुण्यवद्भिर्महात्मभि:

Transliteration

paśyasvaitanmāyā sārdha puṇyaṃ pāpapramocanam | tatra vai satataṃ devā munayaś ca sanātanāḥ | dṛśyante brāhmaṇai rājan puṇyavadbhir mahātmabhiḥ ||

Translation

ମୋ ସହିତ ଏହାକୁ ଦେଖ—ଏହା ପୁଣ୍ୟଦାୟକ ଓ ପାପପ୍ରମୋଚକ ପବିତ୍ର ସ୍ଥାନ। ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ସେଠାରେ ସନାତନ ଦେବମାନେ ଓ ମୁନିମାନେ ସଦା ଦୃଶ୍ୟମାନ; ପୁଣ୍ୟବାନ ମହାତ୍ମା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ନିତ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କ ଦର୍ଶନ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• पश्यस्व: see (you should see)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, आत्मनेपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• मया: by me / with me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: instrumental, singular

• सार्धम्: together (with)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम्

• पुण्यम्: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पापप्रमोचनम्: removal of sin / sin-dispelling (place/thing)
• पापप्रमोचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-प्रमोचन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• सततम्: always, continually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

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

• सनातनाः: eternal, primeval
• सनातनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen / appear
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लट् (present), 3, plural, कर्मणि (passive)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by the brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• पुण्यवत्भिः: by the meritorious
• पुण्यवत्भिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यवत्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• महात्मभिः: by the great-souled ones
• महात्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

श्येन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śyena (the hawk, speaker)
• Rājan (the king, addressee)
• Devas (gods)
• Munis (sages)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Āśrama (hermitage/holy abode, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that certain sacred places and ways of life grounded in dharma generate puṇya and help remove pāpa; purity and virtue make one fit to perceive higher realities—gods and sages—continuously.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śyena addresses a king and invites him to witness a holy, sin-removing place. The verse describes that in that locale, virtuous brāhmaṇas regularly behold devas and ancient munis, highlighting the sanctity and spiritual potency of the site.