Shloka 9

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

Devanagari script

सप्तर्षयो वालखिल्यास्तथैव च मरीचिपा: । अमांसभक्षणं राजन्‌ प्रशंसन्ति मनीषिण:,राजन! सप्तर्षि, वालखिल्य तथा सूर्यकी किरणोंका पान करनेवाले अन्यान्य मनीषी महर्षि मांस न खानेकी ही प्रशंसा करते हैं

Transliteration

saptarṣayo vālakhilyās tathaiva ca marīcipāḥ | amāṁsabhakṣaṇaṁ rājan praśaṁsanti manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

सप्तर्षयो वालखिल्यास्तथैव च मरीचिपाः। अमांसभक्षणं राजन् प्रशंसन्ति मनीषिणः॥

Word by Word

• सप्तर्षयः: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वालखिल्याः: the Vālakhilya sages
• वालखिल्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• मरीचिपाः: the drinkers of rays (sun-ray drinkers)
• मरीचिपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अमांसभक्षणम्: non-eating of meat (abstaining from meat)
• अमांसभक्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमांसभक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise/commend
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मनीषिणः: the wise (sages)
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• the King (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Saptarṣi (Seven Sages)
• Vālakhilya sages
• Marīcipāḥ (ray-drinking ascetics)
• Sun (implied by ‘rays’)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds abstention from meat as an ethically praised discipline, validated by revered ascetic authorities (sages), implying that restraint in diet supports dharma, self-control, and non-violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he cites eminent sages—Saptarṣis, Vālakhilyas, and marīcipāḥ—to support the claim that wise seers commend not eating meat.