Shloka 19

Saptajana-āśrama Darśana and the Approach to Kiṣkindhā

Hermitage of Seven Sages; March toward Vāli’s Capital

Devanagari script

सप्तरात्रकृताहारा वायुनाचलवासिनः।दिवं वर्षशतैर्याताः सप्तभिः सकलेबराः।।

Transliteration

saptarātra-kṛtāhārā vāyunācalavāsinaḥ | divaṃ varṣaśatair yātāḥ saptabhiḥ sakalebarāḥ ||

Translation

వారు ఏడు రాత్రులకు ఒకసారి మాత్రమే ఆహారము చేసిరి; వాయువుతోనే జీవించి అచలంగా నివసించిరి. ఏడు వందల సంవత్సరాల తరువాత వారు దేహముతోనే స్వర్గాన్ని పొందిరి.

Word by Word

• सप्तरात्रकृताहाराः: having food only once in seven nights / taking food at seven-night intervals
• सप्तरात्रकृताहाराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त-रात्र-कृत-आहार (प्रातिपदिक; कृत PPP from √कृ (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (कृत) within compound; विशेषण

• वायुनā: by air (as sustenance)
• वायुनā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अचलवासिनः: motionless-dwellers; remaining unmoving
• अचलवासिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वर्षशतैः: by hundreds of years
• वर्षशतैः: Karaṇa (करण; measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; करण (measure of time)

• याताः: went/attained
• याताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सप्तभिः: with seven (of them)
• सप्तभिः: Sahakāri/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण; 'with seven')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• सकलेबराः: with their bodies intact
• सकलेबराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-कल-इबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (possessive): 'those whose bodies are intact'

Context

'These seven sages used to live on air and that too once in seven nights. They lived for seven hundred years performing penance with motionlessness and attained heaven along with their bodies.

Characters & Entities

• diva (heaven)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse presents tapas aligned with dharma: truthfulness and restraint are portrayed as forces that refine a life over time and lead to exalted spiritual outcomes.

What is the narrative situation?

The extraordinary austerities and the resulting heavenly attainment of the seven sages are being recounted to convey the sanctity and power of the hermitage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance (kṣānti/dhṛti): the capacity to sustain long, disciplined practice without wavering.