Shloka 1

Kapālamocana-tīrtha (Auśanasa) and Balarāma’s Sarasvatī Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

अकाल ३. पत्थरसे फोड़े हुए फलका भोजन करनेवाले। २. दाँतसे ही ओखलीका काम लेनेवाले अर्थात्‌ ओखलीमें कूटकर नहीं

Transliteration

Janamejaya uvāca | saptasārasvataṁ kasmāt kaś ca maṅkaṇako muniḥ | kathaṁ siddhaḥ sa bhagavān kaś cāsya niyamo 'bhavat ||

Translation

Джанамеджая спросил: «О лучший из брахманов, по какой причине возник священный брод, именуемый Саптасарасвата (Saptasārasvata)? И кто был почтенный мудрец Манканaка (Maṅkaṇaka)? Как тот святой достиг сиддхи — духовного совершенства, — и какой обет или устав он соблюдал?»

Word by Word

• जनमेजयः: Janamejaya
• जनमेजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सप्तसारस्वतम्: the (tirtha called) Saptasārasvata
• सप्तसारस्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तसारस्वत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कस्मात्: from what (cause)? / why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• कः: who?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मङ्कणकः: Maṅkaṇaka
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्कणक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुनिः: sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• सिद्धः: accomplished; perfected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कः: what? / which?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• नियमः: rule; observance; vow
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: was; became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Saptasārasvata tīrtha
• Sarasvatī (implied by the tīrtha name)
• Maṅkaṇaka Muni

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models dhārmic inquiry: sacred places and saintly power are not treated as mere marvels but are traced to causes—discipline (niyama), conduct, and the moral-spiritual conditions that generate holiness and attainment (siddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya asks the narrator to explain the origin and greatness of the Saptasārasvata sacred ford and to recount the life of the sage Maṅkaṇaka—specifically how he gained spiritual powers and what vows or restraints he practiced.