Shloka 74

Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ

King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt

Devanagari script

येन देश: स सर्वस्तु तमोभूत इवाभवत्‌ । दृष्टवा सृष्ट तु नीहारं ततस्तं परमर्षिणा

Transliteration

yena deśaḥ sa sarvas tu tamobhūta ivābhavat | dṛṣṭvā sṛṣṭaṃ tu nīhāraṃ tatas taṃ paramarṣiṇā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波衍那说：因此，四方之地仿佛尽皆沉入黑暗。随后，人们见那迷雾乃大圣所化，便明白了这突如其来的昏冥缘由。

Word by Word

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• देशः: region, place
• देशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: that/he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वः: entire, whole
• सर्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तमोभूतः: become dark, turned into darkness
• तमोभूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् + भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अभवत्: became, was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā)

• सृष्टम्: created, produced
• सृष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• नीहारम्: mist, fog
• नीहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमर्षिणा: by the supreme sage
• परमर्षिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• paramarṣi (great sage)
• deśa (the region)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the perceived potency of a great sage’s tapas: when a ṛṣi acts, nature itself seems to respond. Ethically, it reinforces reverence and caution toward spiritual power and the unseen consequences of actions.

What is happening in the narrative?

A sudden darkness spreads over the whole area. The onlookers then realize it is due to a mist that has been produced by a great sage, explaining the ominous change in the environment.