Shloka 6

Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)

Devanagari script

स्थाणुभूत: शुचिर्भूत्वा दैवते भ्य: प्रणम्य च । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये जलं सम्प्रविवेश ह

Transliteration

sthāṇubhūtaḥ śucir bhūtvā daivatebhyaḥ praṇamya ca | gaṅgāyamunayor madhye jalaṃ sampraviveśa ha ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“有一次，他净身之后向诸天致礼，便入于恒河与阎牟那河交汇之水；在彼处，他坐于水中，静止如木—以自制与敬虔而坚住不动。”

Word by Word

• स्थाणु-भूतः: having become like a post; motionless
• स्थाणु-भूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणुभूत (स्थाणु + भूत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• दैवतेभ्यः: to the deities
• दैवतेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Plural

• प्रणम्य: having bowed (saluted)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

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

• गङ्गा-यमुनयोः: of (the rivers) Ganga and Yamuna
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + यमुना
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Dual

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रविवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Deities (Daivata)
• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Confluence (Sangama)
• Water (Jala)
• Log/wood (implied by kāṣṭha-like stillness)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic preparation for spiritual practice: purification, reverence to the divine, and unwavering steadiness (self-control). Ethical force lies in disciplined humility—approaching sacred acts with inner and outer cleanliness and firm resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

A person (as narrated by Bhishma) performs a ritual act: he becomes purified, bows to the gods, enters the water at the Ganga–Yamuna confluence, and remains seated within the water, perfectly still, indicating austerity or meditative observance at a sacred tirtha.