Shloka 101

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

तव मम च गुणैर्महानुभावा जुषतु मतिं सतत स्वधर्मयुक्तै: । अभिमतजनवत्सला हि गड्जा जगति युनक्ति सुखैश्ष भक्तिमन्तम्‌

Transliteration

tava mama ca guṇair mahānubhāvā juṣatu matiṁ satataṁ svadharmayuktaiḥ | abhimatajanavatsalā hi gaṅgā jagati yuṅkte sukhaiḥ bhaktimantam ||

Translation

மகத்தான பிரபாவமுடைய பகவதி பாகீரதி (கங்கை), ஒருவரின் ஸ்வதர்மத்துக்கு ஏற்ற நற்குணங்களால் உன்னுடையதும் என்னுடையதும் புத்தியை எப்போதும் செம்மையாக்கி நிலைநிறுத்துவாளாக. கங்கை தன் பிரிய பக்தர்களிடம் அன்பு கொண்டவள்; உலகில் பக்திமான்களை இன்பத்தால் இணைக்கிறாள்.

Word by Word

• {'tava': 'of you, your', 'mama': 'of me, my', 'ca': 'and', 'guṇaiḥ': 'by virtues, qualities', 'mahānubhāvā': 'great-souled, of great majesty (feminine

• referring to the goddess/river)', 'juṣatu': 'may (she) favor

• may (she) cultivate', 'matiṁ': 'understanding, mind, discernment', 'satataṁ': 'always, continually', 'svadharma-yuktaiḥ': 'endowed with (what is) consistent with one’s own dharma

• joined to rightful personal duty', 'abhimata-jana-vatsalā': 'tender/affectionate like a parent toward beloved people', 'hi': 'indeed, surely', 'gaṅgā': 'Gaṅgā (the river-goddess)', 'jagati': 'in the world', 'yuṅkte': 'joins, yokes

• brings about', 'sukhaiḥ': 'with happinesses

• by means of comforts and joys', 'bhaktimantam': 'the devoted person

• one possessed of bhakti (devotion)', 'bhagavatī': 'the Blessed Lady

• venerable goddess', 'bhāgīrathī': 'Bhāgīrathī (epithet of Gaṅgā, connected with King Bhagiratha)'}

Speaker

सिद्ध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Siddha (speaker)
• Gaṅgā
• Bhāgīrathī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that right understanding (mati) should be shaped by virtues consistent with one’s own dharma (svadharma). It also emphasizes bhakti: the Goddess Gaṅgā, famed for affection toward devotees, supports and uplifts them—linking ethical living with devotional grace.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Siddha offers a benedictory statement invoking Gaṅgā/Bhāgīrathī. He prays that she continually guide the minds of both speaker and listener toward dharma-aligned virtues, and he praises her as bhaktavatsalā—one who makes devotees prosper and remain joyful.