Shloka 78

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

काम देवा ऋषयश्च सत्त्वस्था नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

kāma devā ṛṣayaś ca sattvasthā nṛpasattama

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—ఓ నృపసత్తమా! కామము, దేవులు, ఋషులు—ఇవన్నీ సత్త్వస్థితిలో నిలుచును.

Word by Word

• कामाः: desires
• कामाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• सत्त्वस्थाः: abiding in sattva (goodness)
• सत्त्वस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्वस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kāma (desire)
• devāḥ (gods)
• ṛṣayaḥ (seers)
• nṛpasattama (best of kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames desire (kāma) within an ethical-psychological taxonomy: it can be associated with sattva (clarity/goodness) and is discussed alongside revered authorities (gods and seers), implying that desire is not only a disruptive force but can be understood and regulated within dharma-oriented life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues an instructive discourse in Śānti Parva, addressing a king (“best of kings”) and classifying or describing inner impulses and exemplary beings (gods and sages) in relation to the guṇas—here stating their placement in sattva.