Shloka 8

अर्हणनिर्णयः

Decision on the Highest Honor at the Assembly

Devanagari script

सा वेदिदवेंदसम्पन्नैदेवद्धिजमहर्षिभि: । आबभासे समाकीर्णा नक्षत्रैद्यौरिवायता

Transliteration

sā vedī dvija-veda-sampannair deva-dvija-maharṣibhiḥ | ābabhāse samākīrṇā nakṣatrair dyaur ivāyatā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：那座祭坛周围簇拥着通晓吠陀的婆罗门圣贤——天仙圣者（devarṣi）、梵仙（brahmarṣi）与大圣（maharṣi）——光辉灿然，宛如浩瀚长空被繁星成群点缀而熠熠生辉。

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वेदी: altar, sacrificial platform
• वेदी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वेदविद्: by knowers of the Veda
• वेदविद्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सम्पन्नैः: endowed, possessed (of)
• सम्पन्नैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्पन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+पद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• देवद्विजमहर्षिभिः: by deva-sages, brahmin-sages, and great seers
• देवद्विजमहर्षिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + द्विज + महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• आबभासे: shone, appeared splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: भास् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन

• समाकीर्णा: filled, crowded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+आ+कॄ/कीर्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नक्षत्रैः: with stars
• नक्षत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• द्यौः: the sky, heaven
• द्यौः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आयता: vast, extended
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• vedī (sacrificial altar)
• devarṣis
• brahmarṣis
• maharṣis
• dyauḥ (the sky/heaven)
• nakṣatrāṇi (stars)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that sacred actions and public ceremonies gain ethical weight and legitimacy when guided by disciplined, Veda-knowing sages; learning and spiritual authority are portrayed as the true adornment of ritual space.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a ritual setting in the royal context: the altar is crowded with various classes of revered seers, and their presence makes it shine—compared poetically to the star-filled expanse of the night sky.