Shloka 21

Somaka–Jantu Ākhyāna: Desire-Driven Sacrifice and Shared Karmic Consequence

Devanagari script

यह उन्हीं राजा सोमकका पवित्र आश्रम है जो सामने ही सुशोभित हो रहा है। यहाँ क्षमाशील होकर छ: रात निवास करनेसे मनुष्य उत्तम गति प्राप्त कर लेता है ।। एतस्मिन्नपि राजेन्द्र वत्स्यामो विगतज्वरा: । षड्जात्रं नियतात्मान: सज्जीभव कुरूद्धह,कुरुश्रेष्ठ हम सब लोग इस आश्रममें छ: राततक मन और इन्द्रियोंपर संयम रखते हुए निश्चिन्त होकर निवास करेंगे। तुम इसके लिये तैयार हो जाओ

Transliteration

etasminn api rājendra vatsyāmo vigatajvarāḥ | ṣaḍrātraṃ niyatātmānaḥ sajjībhava kuru-dvaha ||

Translation

“Tâu Đại vương, chúng ta cũng sẽ lưu lại nơi đây, không còn ưu não. Suốt sáu đêm, với tâm và các căn được chế ngự nghiêm cẩn, chúng ta sẽ trú trong đạo tràng ẩn tu thiêng liêng này. Hỡi bậc tối thượng của dòng Kuru, xin hãy sẵn sàng.”

Word by Word

एतस्मिन्in this

अपिalso/even

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

वत्स्यामःwe shall dwell/stay

विगत-ज्वराःfree from fever/affliction

षड्-रात्रम्for six nights

नियत-आत्मानःself-controlled

सज्जी-भवbe ready/prepare yourself

कुरूद्धहO bearer of the Kurus (best of Kurus)

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kuru (dynasty)

a sacred hermitage/āśrama (implied by context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical value of disciplined living in a sacred setting: self-restraint (niyama) and calmness (freedom from inner ‘fever’) practiced even for a fixed period can lead to spiritual uplift and steadiness of mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker addresses a Kuru king, proposing that they stay in the holy hermitage for six nights, living with controlled senses and a composed mind, and urges the king to prepare for this observance.