Adi Parva Adhyaya 173 Shloka 19 - Mahabharata | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 19

कल्माषपाद-शाप-कारणम्

Cause of Kalmāṣapāda’s Niyoga under a Curse

Devanagari script

(वसिष्ठ उवाच अजाय लोकत्रयपावनाय भूतात्मने गोपतये वृषाय । सूर्याय सर्गप्रलयालयाय नमो महाकारुणिकोत्तमाय ।।

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca |

ajāya lokatrayapāvanāya bhūtātmane gopataye vṛṣāya |

sūryāya sargapralayālayāya namo mahākāruṇikottamāya ||

vivasvate jñānabhṛdantarātmane jagatpradīpāya jagaddhitaiṣiṇe |

swayambhuve dīptasahasracakṣuṣe surottamāyāmitatejase namaḥ ||

namaḥ savitre jagadekacakṣuṣe jagatprasūtisthitināśahetave |

trayīmayāya triguṇātmadhāriṇe viriñcinārāyaṇaśaṅkarātmane ||

tam uvāca mahātejā vivasvān munisattamam |

maharṣe svāgataṃ te 'stu kathayasva yathepsitam ||

Translation

वसिष्ठ उवाच— अजाय लोकत्रयपावनाय भूतात्मने गोपतये वृषाय । सूर्याय सर्गप्रलयालयाय नमो महाकारुणिकोत्तमाय ॥ विवस्वते ज्ञानभृदन्तरात्मने जगत्प्रदीपाय जगद्धितैषिणे । स्वयम्भुवे दीप्तसहस्रचक्षुषे सुरोत्तमायामिततेजसे नमः ॥ नमः सवित्रे जगदेकचक्षुषे जगत्प्रसूतिस्थितिनाशहेतवे । त्रयीमयाय त्रिगुणात्मधारिणे विरिञ्चिनारायणशङ्करात्मने ॥ तमुवाच महातेजा विवस्वान् मुनिसत्तमम् । महर्षे स्वागतं तेऽस्तु कथयस्व यथेप्सितम् ॥

Word by Word

वसिष्ठःVasiṣṭha

उवाचsaid

अजायto the unborn one

लोकत्रयपावनायto the purifier of the three worlds

भूतात्मनेto the inner self of beings

गोपतयेto the lord/protector

वृषायto the bull; (fig.) to Dharma

सूर्यायto Sūrya

सर्गप्रलयालयायto the abode of creation and dissolution

नमःsalutation

महाकारुणिकोत्तमायto the best, greatly compassionate one

विवस्वतेto Vivasvat (the Sun)

ज्ञानभृत्-अन्तरात्मनेto the inner self of the knowledge-bearers (the wise)

जगत्प्रदीपायto the lamp of the world

जगद्धितैषिणेto the seeker of the world's welfare

स्वयम्भुवेto the self-existent one

दीप्तसहस्रचक्षुषेto him whose thousand eyes are blazing

सुरोत्तमायto the best of the gods

अमिततेजसेto the one of immeasurable splendor

नमःsalutation

सवित्रेto Savitṛ (the impeller; Sun)

जगत्-एकचक्षुषेto him who is the single eye of the world

जगत्प्रसूतिस्थितिनाशहेतवेto the cause of the world's birth, maintenance, and destruction

त्रयीमयायto him who consists of the three Vedas

त्रिगुणात्मधारिणेto the bearer of a three-guṇa nature

विरिञ्चि-नारायण-शङ्करात्मनेto him whose essence is Virīñci (Brahmā), Nārāyaṇa, and Śaṅkara

Speaker

(वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Sūrya

Vivasvān

Savitṛ

Viriñci (Brahmā)

Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

the three worlds (trailokya)

the three Vedas (trayī)

the three guṇas (triguṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage teaches reverence for the cosmic order embodied by the Sun: as purifier, witness, and sustainer of life, and as the underlying unity behind diverse divine functions (creation, preservation, dissolution). Ethically, it frames dharma as aligned with the world’s sustaining light—clarity, welfare of beings, and compassionate governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha approaches the Sun-god and offers a formal hymn of praise, identifying him with Vedic and triadic divine principles. Pleased, Vivasvān welcomes the sage and invites him to state his request, setting up the ensuing dialogue.