Shloka 20

नारदकथितं माधव्याः तपश्चर्या–ययातेः स्वर्गविचारः | Nārada on Mādhavī’s Asceticism and the Scrutiny of Yayāti in Heaven

Devanagari script

अथाष्टक: पुरं प्रायात्‌ तदा सोमपुरप्रभम्‌ | निर्यात्य कनन्‍्यां शिष्याय कौशिको5पि वनं ययौ

Transliteration

athāṣṭakaḥ puraṃ prāyāt tadā somapuraprabham | niryātya kanyāṃ śiṣyāya kauśiko 'pi vanaṃ yayau ||

Translation

అప్పుడు అష్టకుడు సోమపురంలా ప్రకాశించే నగరానికి బయలుదేరాడు. కన్యను శిష్యుని వద్దకు పంపి, కౌశికుడు (విశ్వామిత్రుడు) కూడా అరణ్యానికి వెళ్లిపోయాడు।

Word by Word

अथthen

अष्टकःAṣṭaka (name of a person)

पुरम्to the city

प्रायात्went

तदाat that time

सोमपुरप्रभम्having the splendor of Somapura / splendid like Somapura

निर्यात्यhaving sent out / having brought out

कन्याम्the maiden

शिष्यायto (his) disciple

कौशिकःKauśika (name of a sage)

अपिalso

वनम्to the forest

ययौwent

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Āṣṭaka

Somapura

Kauśika

the maiden (kanyā)

disciple (śiṣya)

forest (vana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic prioritization: relationships and dependents are not abandoned carelessly but are placed under appropriate guardianship, while the sage proceeds toward a life of restraint. Duty is fulfilled through orderly transfer of responsibility and commitment to one’s chosen discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that Āṣṭaka travels to a splendid city likened to Somapura. Kauśika, after sending the maiden to his disciple’s care, leaves for the forest—signaling a shift in the story toward ascetic movement and the next stage of events.