Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स च तैव्यथित: शक्रो वसिष्ठं शरणं ययौ । ततो<5भयं ददौ तेभ्यो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:

Transliteration

sa ca tair vyathitaḥ śakro vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau | tato 'bhayaṃ dadau tebhyo vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：因陀罗（释迦，Śakra）为那些底提耶（Daitya）所困扰，便前往投靠婆悉吒（Vasiṣṭha）。于是，这位可敬的圣仙婆悉吒赐予诸神“无畏”——以其灵性威德与苦行（tapas）之力护佑受难者——昭示真正的安稳源自正法（dharma）与苦行之威，而非仅凭武力。

Word by Word

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

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

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• व्यथितः: afflicted, distressed
• व्यथितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ययौ: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• अभयम्: fearlessness, protection
• अभयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Plural

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: venerable, divine
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषिः: sage
• ऋषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Shakra)
• Vasistha
• Daityas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When worldly power is shaken, one should seek śaraṇa (refuge) in a dharmic authority; the protection (abhaya) granted by a true ṛṣi arises from tapas and righteousness, not merely from weapons or political strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra is troubled by the Daityas and approaches the sage Vasiṣṭha for protection; Vasiṣṭha then grants fearlessness to the gods, indicating his capacity to safeguard them through spiritual power.