Shloka 20

Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha

Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context

Devanagari script

आसीनमाश्रमे तत्र जैगीषव्यमपश्यत । न व्याहरति चैवेनं जैगीषव्य: कथंचन

Transliteration

āsīnam āśrame tatra jaigīṣavyam apaśyata | na vyāharati caivainaṃ jaigīṣavyaḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Ở đó, trong ẩn viện, ông thấy Jaigīṣavya đang ngồi. Nhưng Jaigīṣavya tuyệt nhiên không đáp lời—hoàn toàn im lặng. Khoảnh khắc ấy nêu bật kỷ luật tiết chế lời nói của bậc khổ hạnh: im lặng có thể là dấu hiệu của sự chuyên chú nội tâm, của tâm ly tham, hoặc của sự cố ý không giao tiếp, chứ không phải thất lễ.

Word by Word

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसीन (√आस् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रमे: in the hermitage
• आश्रमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• जैगीषव्यम्: Jaigīṣavya (proper name)
• जैगीषव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यत: saw
• अपश्यत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• व्याहरति: speaks, utters
• व्याहरति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (आहृ) with वि + आ
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular

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

• एव: indeed, at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (enad-pronoun stem)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जैगीषव्यः: Jaigīṣavya
• जैगीषव्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Jaigīṣavya
• Āśrama (hermitage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights restraint of speech as an ascetic virtue: silence (mauna) can be a form of discipline and detachment, indicating inward focus and freedom from impulsive engagement.

What is happening in the narrative?

A visitor arrives at a hermitage and sees the sage Jaigīṣavya seated there, but the sage does not speak to him in any manner, maintaining complete silence.