Shloka 29

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

Devanagari script

आस्यै: सप्तभिरुद्वीर्ण लोकधर्ममनुत्तमम्‌ | मरीचिरुत््यड्विरसौ पुलस्त्य: पुलहः क्रतु: । वसिष्ठ श्न महातेजास्ते हि चित्रशिखण्डिन:

Transliteration

āsyaḥ saptabhir udvīrṇaṁ lokadharmam anuttamam | marīcir atrir aṅgirāḥ pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ | vasiṣṭhaś ca mahātejās te hi citraśikhaṇḍinaḥ |

Translation

Wika ni Bhishma: “Mula sa pitong bibig ay ipinahayag ang walang kapantay na dharma ng daigdig. Sina Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, at ang maringal sa ningning na si Vasistha—ang pitong tanyag na rishi na ito ay kilala bilang mga Citraśikhaṇḍin. Nagkaisa ang kanilang layon sa dakilang bundok na Meru, at kanilang ipinaliwanag at binuo ang isang marangal na aral, karapat-dapat igalang at may kapangyarihang tulad ng apat na Veda, kung saan inilahad ang pinakamataas na simulain ng kaayusang panlipunan at moral.”

Word by Word

• आस्यैः: by (their) mouths/faces
• आस्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सप्तभिः: by seven
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Instrumental, Plural

• उद्वीर्णम्: brought forth/produced
• उद्वीर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-√वॄ (वॄञ् वरणे/वरण-प्रसारणे) → उद्वीर्ण (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लोकधर्मम्: the dharma of the world (social/religious duty)
• लोकधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मरीचिः: Marīci (sage)
• मरीचिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अत्रिः: Atri (sage)
• अत्रिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अङ्गिराः: Aṅgiras (sage)
• अङ्गिराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya (sage)
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुलहः: Pulaha (sage)
• पुलहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रतुः: Kratu (sage)
• क्रतुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha (sage)
• वसिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातेजाः: of great splendor/energy
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)

• चित्रशिखण्डिनः: the ‘Citraśikhaṇḍins’ (those with variegated crests/topknots)
• चित्रशिखण्डिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रशिखण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Marichi
• Atri
• Angiras
• Pulastya
• Pulaha
• Kratu
• Vasistha
• Meru (Mahagiri)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma that sustains worldly life (lokadharma) is presented as an authoritative, Veda-like teaching, articulated through the consensus and speech of seven eminent sages, emphasizing that ethical and social norms have a venerable, scriptural foundation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma identifies seven famous rishis—Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasistha—calling them Citraśikhaṇḍins, and describes how they jointly expounded a supreme account of lokadharma, traditionally situated on Mount Meru and treated as highly authoritative.