Shloka 17

Adhyāya 108: Paścima-dik—Varuṇa’s Realm, Sunset Cosmology, and Sacred-Geographic Markers

Suparṇa–Gālava संवाद

Devanagari script

अत्र चक्रधनुर्नाम सूर्याज्जातो महानृषि:

Transliteration

atra cakradhanuḥ nāma sūryāj jāto mahān ṛṣiḥ

Translation

Dito rin ay may isang dakilang rishi na nagngangalang Cakradhanu, na isinilang mula sa Araw. Sa pagbanggit sa isang pantas na may pinagmulan sa Surya, itinatag ang salaysay sa banal na lahi at sa kapangyarihan ng dharma—ipinahihiwatig na ang payo o halimbawang binabanggit ay hindi lamang gawang-mundo, kundi pinagtitibay ng kagalang-galang na tradisyon.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

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

• चक्रधनुः: Chakradhanu (name of a sage; lit. 'wheel-bow')
• चक्रधनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रधनुस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name / named
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सूर्यात्: from the Sun
• सूर्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• जातः: born
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• महान्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Cakradhanu
• Sūrya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse establishes moral and narrative authority by citing an eminent, solar-born ṛṣi. In the Mahābhārata, invoking such lineage signals that the guidance or example to follow is rooted in dharmic tradition rather than mere expediency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yuparṇa introduces a figure: a great sage named Cakradhanu, said to be born from Sūrya. This functions as a transition into a related account or precedent connected with that sage.