Shloka 14

Āśramamaṇḍala-darśana and Ṛṣi-samāgama

Observation of the Hermitage Precinct and the Assembly of Sages

Devanagari script

कथंचित्‌ तक्षको मुक्त: सत्यत्वात्‌ तव पार्थिव । ऋषय: पूजिता: सर्वे गतिर्दृष्टा महात्मन:

Transliteration

kathaṃcit takṣako muktaḥ satyatvāt tava pārthiva | ṛṣayaḥ pūjitāḥ sarve gatir dṛṣṭā mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Tâu Đại vương, nhờ đức kiên trì giữ chân thật của bệ hạ mà mạng sống của Takṣaka đã được tha, dẫu trong hoàn cảnh ngặt nghèo. Bệ hạ đã tôn kính cúng dường hết thảy các bậc hiền triết, và đã tận mắt chứng kiến tầm vóc cùng uy lực tâm linh của bậc đại hồn Vyāsa.

Word by Word

• कथंचित्: somehow, by some means
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचित्

• तक्षकः: Takshaka (the serpent)
• तक्षकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुक्तः: released, spared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यत्वात्: because of truthfulness
• सत्यत्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यत्व
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तव: of you, your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पूजिताः: honoured, worshipped
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गतिः: course, state, destination
• गतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दृष्टा: was seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट
• Form: Perfective (past participle used predicatively), Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पृथ्वीनाथ: O lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वीनाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Āstīka
• Takṣaka
• Pārthiva (the king)
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness (satya) in a ruler is presented as a powerful dharmic force that can avert harm and preserve life; reverence toward sages and recognition of spiritual greatness (Vyāsa’s gati) are integral to righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Āstīka addresses the king, stating that Takṣaka has been spared because the king remained committed to truth, and praising the king for honoring all the sages and for having witnessed the extraordinary spiritual stature of Vyāsa.