Shloka 21

Nāvyāśrama-nirmāṇa and Ṛśyaśṛṅga’s Distraction (नाव्याश्रमनिर्माणम्—ऋश्यशृङ्गस्य विचलनम्)

Devanagari script

सो<पश्यदासीनमुपेत्य पुत्र ध्यायन्तमेक॑ विपरीतचित्तम्‌ । विनि:श्वसन्तं मुहुरूर्ध्वदृष्टिं विभाण्डक: पुत्रमुवाच दीनम्‌,निकट आनेपर उन्होंने अपने पुत्रको अकेला उदासीन भावसे चिन्तामग्न होकर बैठा देखा। उसके चित्तकी दशा विपरीत थी। वह बार-बार ऊपरकी ओर दृष्टि किये उच्छवास ले रहा था। इस दयनीय दशामें पुत्रको देखकर विभाण्डक मुनिने पूछा--“तात! आज तुम अग्निकुण्डमें समिधाएँ क्‍यों नहीं रख रहे हो! क्या तुमने अग्निहोत्र कर लिया? खुक्‌ु और खुवा आदि यज्ञपात्रोंको भलीभाँति शुद्ध करके रखा है न? कहीं ऐसा तो नहीं हुआ कि तुमने हवनके लिये दूध देनेवाली गायका बछड़ा खोल दिया हो जिससे वह सारा दूध पी गया हो। बेटा! आज तुम पहले-जैसे दिखायी नहीं देते। किसी भारी चिन्तामें निमग्न हो, अपनी सुध-बुध खो बैठे हो। क्या कारण है जो आज तुम अत्यन्त दीन हो रहे हो। मैं तुमसे पूछता हूँ, बताओ, आज यहाँ कौन आया था?”

Transliteration

so 'paśyad āsīnam upetya putraṁ dhyāyantam ekaṁ viparītacittam | viniḥśvasantaṁ muhur ūrdhvadṛṣṭiṁ vibhāṇḍakaḥ putram uvāca dīnam ||

Translation

Ao aproximar-se, viu o filho sentado sozinho, imerso em pensamentos, com a mente desviada da serenidade de costume. O rapaz suspirava repetidas vezes, erguendo o olhar para o alto uma e outra vez. Ao vê-lo naquele estado lastimoso, o sábio Vibhāṇḍaka lhe disse: “Meu filho, por que hoje não estás colocando os gravetos de oferenda no fogo sagrado? Já realizaste o Agnihotra? Mantiveste devidamente limpos e prontos os vasos rituais—como as conchas e as taças? Ou, porventura, soltaste o bezerro da vaca leiteira destinada à oblação, e ele bebeu todo o leite reservado ao sacrifício? Não pareces como antes. Pareces oprimido por uma preocupação pesada, como se tivesses perdido o domínio de ti mesmo. Dize-me—por que estás tão abatido hoje? Eu te pergunto: quem veio aqui hoje?”

Word by Word

सःhe

अपश्यत्saw

आसीनम्seated

उपेत्यhaving approached

पुत्रम्son

ध्यायन्तम्meditating/thinking

एकम्alone

विपरीत-चित्तम्with disturbed/contrary mind

विनिःश्वसन्तम्sighing/breathing out

मुहुःagain and again

ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टिम्one whose gaze is upward / upward-looking (as an attribute)

विभाण्डकःVibhāṇḍaka (name)

पुत्रम्son

उवाचsaid/spoke

दीनम्wretched/sad

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vibhāṇḍaka (sage)

his son (Ṛśyaśṛṅga in this episode)

Agni (sacrificial fire, implied by agnihotra/agni-kuṇḍa)

agni-kuṇḍa (fire-pit)

samidh (fuel-sticks)

agnihotra (daily rite)

yajña-pātra (ritual vessels)

milch-cow

calf

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vigilance in dharma through daily duties: when inner disturbance appears, it often shows first as neglect of disciplined practice (here, Agnihotra and ritual cleanliness). The father’s questioning models ethical care—checking concrete responsibilities while also probing the deeper cause of mental agitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vibhāṇḍaka approaches and finds his son sitting alone, distressed and repeatedly sighing. Noticing the unusual behavior and the apparent lapse in daily fire-ritual routine, he asks whether the Agnihotra and preparations were done properly and then presses the key question: who visited that day, implying an external encounter has unsettled the boy.