Shloka 10

Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)

Devanagari script

चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तेन रोषाविष्टो द्विजोत्तम:,क्रोधेन महता5<विष्टो धर्मात्मा वै प्रतापवान्‌ | वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! ब्राह्मणत्वकी प्राप्ति करानेवाले उस तीर्थसे प्रस्थित होकर यदुनन्दन बलरामजी “अवाकीर्ण' तीर्थमें गये, जहाँ आश्रममें रहते हुए महातपस्वी धर्मात्मा एवं प्रतापी दलभपुत्र बकने महान्‌ क्रोधमें भरकर घोर तपस्याद्वारा अपने शरीरको सुखाते हुए विचित्रवीर्यकुमार राजा धृतराष्ट्रके राष्ट्रका होम कर दिया था

Transliteration

cintayitvā muhūrtena roṣāviṣṭo dvijottamaḥ | krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān ||

Translation

毗舍摩耶那说：他沉思片刻，那位最上婆罗门便为愤懑所攫。虽其心本守法义，且以苦行与威力而强盛，却仍被大怒所覆，遂生凶烈之决意——而在周遭叙事中，此怒终化为对一国施行的毁灭性祭仪。

Word by Word

• चिन्तयित्वा: having thought/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• मुहूर्तेन: for a moment / in a short while
• मुहूर्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रोषाविष्टः: overcome/possessed by rage
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोषाविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; आविष्ट- from √विश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधेन: with anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महताऽऽविष्टः: possessed by great (anger)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (from √विश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: a righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)

• प्रतापवान्: mighty/valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijottama (a foremost Brahmin; implied figure in context)
• Avākīrṇa-tīrtha (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)
• Balarāma (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (from the surrounding Gītā Press narrative gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral tension central to the epic: even a dharmātmā (righteous person) can be overtaken by roṣa/krodha (indignation/anger). The narrative context warns that anger, when empowered by ascetic or ritual potency, can produce far-reaching harm, making self-restraint and discernment essential to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a foremost Brahmin who, after brief reflection, becomes overwhelmed by intense anger. In the surrounding episode (as reflected in the Gītā Press prose), this wrath is linked to a powerful ascetic/ritual act directed against a kingdom, while Balarāma’s pilgrimage brings him to the Avākīrṇa tīrtha associated with that event.