Shloka 23

Tīrtha-Sevana and the Cursed Apsaras

Grāha-Encounter at Saubhadra Tīrtha

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय भवद्भ्यामास्थितं तप: । हेतुनानेन दैत्येन्द्री न वा कामं करोम्यहम्‌,दैत्यपतियो! तुम दोनोंने त्रिलोकीपर विजय पानेके लिये ही इस तपस्याका आश्रय लिया था, इसीलिये तुम्हारी अमरत्वविषयक कामनाकी पूर्ति मैं नहीं कर रहा हूँ

Transliteration

nārada uvāca |

trailokyavijayārthāya bhavadbhyām āsthitaṃ tapaḥ |

hetunānena daityendrī na vā kāmaṃ karomy aham, daityapatīyo ||

Translation

Нарада сказал: «Вы приняли эту аскезу ради победы над тремя мирами. Потому, о царица дайтьев, и о владыки дайтьев, я не исполняю вашего желания (о бессмертии)».

Word by Word

त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थायfor the purpose of victory over the three worlds

भवद्भ्याम्by you two

आस्थितम्undertaken/assumed

तपःausterity/penance

हेतुनाfor this reason/therefore

अनेनby this/with this

दैत्येन्द्रिO queen/lady of the Daityas

नnot

वाindeed/also/or

कामम्desire/wish (here: the boon desired)

करोमिI do/fulfil

अहम्I

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Daityendrī

Daityapatī

Trailokya (three worlds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity is ethically evaluated by its intention: when tapas is pursued for domination (conquest of the three worlds), it does not merit the highest boons such as immortality. The verse underscores that power-seeking motives can invalidate or limit spiritual rewards.

What is happening in the narrative?

Narada addresses two Daitya figures (a queen and Daitya lords), stating that their penance was undertaken to win dominion over the three worlds. Therefore, he refuses to fulfil their request—specifically the desire for immortality—because the underlying aim is conquest rather than righteous purpose.