Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 11

Baka Dālbhya at Avakīrṇa-tīrtha: Rāṣṭra-kṣaya and Release through Prasāda (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 40)

Devanagari script

तथा च कौशिकस्तात तपोनित्यो जितेन्द्रिय: । तपसा वै सुतप्तेन ब्राह्मणत्वमवाप्तवान्‌

Transliteration

tathā ca kauśikas tāta taponityo jitendriyaḥ | tapasā vai sutaptena brāhmaṇatvam avāptavān ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：“同样地，亲爱的啊，憍尸迦（Kauśika）恒常奉行苦行，克制诸根；凭借严峻而圆满的苦行（tapas），他确实获得了婆罗门之位。”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• कौशिकः: Kaushika (Vishvamitra, descendant of Kushika)
• कौशिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear one / son (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तपः-नित्यः: ever devoted to austerity
• तपः-नित्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपःनित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• सुतप्तेन: well-performed / intensely practiced
• सुतप्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-तप्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Brahminhood, status of a Brahmana
• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्तवान्: obtained, attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic/participial usage), Singular, Masculine, Nominative

• तात: dear one / son (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kauśika (Viśvāmitra)
• Kuśika (lineage reference)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sustained tapas coupled with mastery over the senses (jitendriyatā) is presented as a morally and spiritually transformative discipline, capable of elevating one’s inner status and qualities—here expressed as attaining brāhmaṇatva.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts that Kauśika (Viśvāmitra), through continuous austerity and strict self-restraint, performed intense tapas and thereby attained brāhmaṇa status, underscoring his ascetic achievement within the larger discourse.