Shloka 14

Āraṇyaka-parva Adhyāya 277 — Sāvitrī-Upākhyāna: Aśvapati’s Vows and Sāvitrī’s Birth; Search for a Suitable Husband Begins

Devanagari script

नागायुतसमप्राणा वायुवेगसमा जवे । यत्रेच्छकनिवासाक्षु केचिदत्र वनौकस:,उनके शरीरमें दस हजार हाथियोंके समान बल था। तेज चलनेमें वे वायुके वेगको लजा देते थे। उनका कोई घर-बार नहीं था; जहाँ इच्छा होती वहीं रह जाते थे। उनमेंसे कुछ लोग केवल वनोंमें ही रहते थे

Transliteration

nāgāyutasamaprāṇā vāyuvegasaṃmā jave | yatrecchekanivāsākṣu kecid atra vanaukasaḥ ||

Translation

Disse Mārkaṇḍeya: “Possuíam a força vital e o vigor de dez mil elefantes, e em rapidez rivalizavam com a velocidade do vento. Não tinham morada fixa; onde quer que desejassem, ali permaneciam. Entre eles, alguns viviam apenas nas florestas.”

Word by Word

नागायुतसमप्राणाःhaving strength equal to ten thousand elephants

वायुवेगसमाःequal to the speed of the wind

जवेin speed / in swiftness

यत्रwhere

इच्छकdesiring / as they wished

निवासात्from (any fixed) dwelling / residence

केचित्some (people)

अत्रhere

वनौकसःforest-dwellers / those dwelling in the woods

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

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 a life of non-attachment: despite immense power and speed, these beings do not cling to property or fixed residence, illustrating a renunciant ideal where freedom of movement and simplicity of living are valued over possession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing a group characterized by extraordinary strength and swiftness, emphasizing their homeless, wandering mode of life; some among them are specifically identified as living exclusively in the forest.