Shloka 20

Devanagari script

प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन गतिमन्यां तपोधना:।।1.57.20।।गुरुपुत्रानृते सर्वान्नाहं पश्यामि काञ्चन।

Transliteration

pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena gatim anyāṃ tapodhanāḥ || 1.57.20 ||

guruputrān ṛte sarvān nāhaṃ paśyāmi kāñcana |

Translation

اے تپسیا کو اپنا دھن بنانے والو! وِسِشٹھ کے ٹھکرائے جانے کے بعد مجھے کوئی اور راہ نظر نہیں آتی—سوائے اپنے گرو کے پُتروں کے۔

Word by Word

• pratyākhyātaḥ: refused/rejected
• pratyākhyātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-ā-√khyā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; predicative with ‘aham’ (understood)

• vasiṣṭhena: by Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhena: Kartṛ-karaṇa/Agent-instrument (कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• gatim: a course/way
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (fem), Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• anyām: another
• anyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; qualifying ‘gatim’

• tapodhanāḥ: O ascetics (having austerity as wealth)
• tapodhanāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘whose wealth is tapas’; Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana/Prathamā (vocative/nominative form), Bahuvacana; address

• guru-putrān: sons of the guru
• guru-putrān: Apavāda/Exclusion object (अपवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (गुरोः पुत्राः); Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• ṛte: except
• ṛte: Apādāna/Exclusion (अपादान/अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition-like indeclinable meaning ‘except/without’ (अपवाद)

• sarvān: all (others)
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• paśyāmi: see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (present), Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• kāñcana: anyone/anything
• kāñcana: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक) + cana (निपात)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun (कश्चन-भाव), Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; used with negation = ‘anyone/anything at all’

Context

O Ascetocs! after having been rejected by Vasishta. I do not see any way other than the sons of my spiritual guide to help me achieve my purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha
• Vasiṣṭha’s sons

FAQs

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

Dharma acknowledges rightful authority: when the primary preceptor refuses, one seeks legitimate alternative guidance within the same ethical and spiritual lineage, not through coercion.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra explains that after Vasiṣṭha’s refusal, his only hope is Vasiṣṭha’s sons to help him proceed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical humility and accountability—he accepts refusal and seeks a proper, respectful path forward.