Shloka 50

Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative

Devanagari script

आसन वै मुनयस्तत्र सरस्वत्या: समीपत: । शोभयन्त: सरिच्छेष्ठां गड्जामिव दिवौकस:

Transliteration

āsan vai munayas tatra sarasvatyāḥ samīpataḥ | śobhayantaḥ saricchreṣṭhāṃ gaṅgām iva divaukasaḥ, mahārāja |

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «О царь, там, на берегах близ Сарасвати, сидели мудрецы. Самим своим присутствием они украшали ту реку — лучшую из рек, как небожители украшают Гангу».

Word by Word

• आसन्: were seated
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• सरस्वत्याः: of Sarasvatī (river)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• समीपतः: near, in the vicinity
• समीपतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समीप

• शोभयन्तः: adorning, enhancing the beauty of
• Type: Verb
• Root: शोभय् (शुभ् caus.)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सरित्-श्रेष्ठाम्: the best of rivers
• सरित्-श्रेष्ठाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गङ्गाम्: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• दिवौकसः: the dwellers in heaven (gods)
• दिवौकसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Sarasvatī (river)
• Gaṅgā (river)
• Divaukasaḥ (celestial beings/gods)
• Munayaḥ (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates ascetic presence and disciplined living as forces that sanctify a place: holy rivers are not only sacred by nature, but are further ‘adorned’ by those who embody dharma through tapas and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a scene near the Sarasvatī where many sages are seated along the bank; their gathering makes the river shine in splendor, compared to how the gods grace the Gaṅgā.