Shloka 20

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

इमां कक्ित्‌ परिक्रम्य पृथिवीं शैलभूषणाम्‌ । असकृद ड्विपदां श्रेष्ठ: श्रेष्टस्य गृहमेधिन:

Transliteration

imāṃ kaścit parikramya pṛthivīṃ śailabhūṣaṇām | asakṛd dvipadāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhasya gṛhamedhinaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Sau khi nhiều lần đi vòng quanh khắp cõi đất này, nơi được điểm trang bởi những dãy núi, có một bậc thành tựu—bậc tối thắng trong loài người—đến nhà của một gia chủ ưu tú. Vị gia chủ ấy kính lễ và cúng dường theo đúng nghi thức. Vị hiền thánh đến thăm đã an trú nơi đó suốt đêm trong an lạc; gương mặt ngài rạng vẻ mãn nguyện—niềm hoan hỷ lặng lẽ phát sinh khi việc tiếp đãi và thọ nhận đều đúng theo dharma.”

Word by Word

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कश्चित्: a certain (someone)
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परिक्रम्य: having circumambulated
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-क्रम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शैल-भूषणाम्: adorned with mountains
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैलभूषणा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• असकृत्: many times, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत्

• द्विपदाम्: of bipeds (men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विपद
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठः: best, foremost
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठस्य: of the excellent (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गृहमेधिनः: of the householder
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a siddha/ṛṣi (unnamed accomplished sage)
• an exemplary gṛhamedhin (householder)
• the earth (Pṛthivī)
• mountains (śaila)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of atithi-satkāra (honoring a guest): even a great ascetic finds peace and joy where a householder performs hospitality properly, implying that gṛhastha-dharma—when done according to rule and reverence—has profound spiritual value.

What is happening in the narrative?

An accomplished sage, after traveling widely around the earth, arrives at the home of an exemplary householder. The householder worshipfully receives him according to prescribed norms, and the sage spends the night happily, visibly pleased.