Mahabharata 1.175.7 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 7

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य वसिष्ठ: श्रेष्ठभागृषि: । विश्वामित्र नरश्रेष्ठ प्रतिजग्राह पूजया

Transliteration

tam āgatam abhiprekṣya vasiṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhabhāg ṛṣiḥ | viśvāmitra naraśreṣṭha pratijagrāha pūjayā ||

Translation

Увидев его прибытие, великий мудрец Васиштха — первейший среди риши — принял Вишвамитру, о лучший из людей, с подобающими почестями. В повествовании Вишвамитра, изнурённый охотой и мучимый жаждой, приходит в ашрам; а Васиштха являет дхарму гостеприимства, встречая даже могущественного царя с благоговением и должным приёмом.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगतम्: arrived
• आगतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिप्रेक्ष्य: having looked at / seeing
• अभिप्रेक्ष्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-प्रेक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-र्थे), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund), Gerund

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठभागृषिः: the best among the Bhārgava sages
• श्रेष्ठभागृषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ-भाग-ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विश्वामित्रम्: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरश्रेष्ठम्: best of men
• नरश्रेष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिजग्राह: received / welcomed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पूजया: with honor / with worship
• पूजया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha’s āśrama (hermitage)
• forest (gahana vana)
• ministers/retinue (mantrins)
• boar (varāha)
• wild/ferocious beasts

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights atithi-dharma: a householder-sage should receive a guest—especially one who arrives fatigued or in need—with honor and generosity. Vasiṣṭha’s respectful welcome models ethical conduct that transcends status differences between ascetic and king.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a strenuous hunt in the forest, King Viśvāmitra (with his ministers) becomes exhausted and thirsty and comes to Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage. Seeing him arrive, Vasiṣṭha receives him with due worship and invites him to accept hospitality.