Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

भो भो ब्राह्मण धर्मज्ञ किमर्थ नृत्यते भवान्‌ | हर्षस्थानं किमर्थ च तवेदमधिकं मुने

Transliteration

bho bho brāhmaṇa dharmajña kimarthaṁ nṛtyate bhavān | harṣasthānaṁ kimarthaṁ ca tavedaṁ adhikaṁ mune ||

Translation

“ఓ బ్రాహ్మణా, ధర్మజ్ఞా! నీవెందుకు నాట్యమాడుచున్నావు? ఓ మునీ, నీ ఈ అధిక హర్షానికి కారణమేమిటి?”

Word by Word

• भो: O! (vocative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो

• भो: O! (repeated address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो

• ब्राह्मण: O brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• किमर्थम्: for what reason? why?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थ

• नृत्यते: dances
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत्
• Form: Present (Lat), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हर्षस्थानम्: cause/place of joy
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्षस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• किमर्थम्: for what reason? why?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थ

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

• तव: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अधिकम्: excess / extraordinary
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मुने: O sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• ब्राह्मण (a Brahmin addressee)
• मुनि (a sage addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical scrutiny of outward behavior: even a learned person’s visible joy (such as dancing) invites inquiry into its cause. In a dharma-centered narrative—especially amid grave events—excessive celebration is morally significant and must be justified by a righteous reason.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a speaker addressing a Brahmin-sage, questioning why he is dancing and what occasion has produced such heightened happiness. The line functions as a prompt that introduces an explanation for the sage’s unusual rejoicing.