Shloka 16

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

राजन! उन सभी ब्राह्मणोंने तप, नियम, उपवास, नाना प्रकारके संयम तथा कष्टसाध्य व्रतोंके द्वारा पशुपति विश्वनाथ महादेवजीकी आराधना करके सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ उस सरस्वती देवीको शापसे छुटकारा दिलाया ।।

Transliteration

rājan! te sarve brāhmaṇās tapo-niyama-upavāsaiḥ nānāvidhaiḥ saṃyamaiḥ kaṣṭasādhyaiś ca vrataiḥ paśupatiṃ viśvanāthaṃ mahādevaṃ samārādhya saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ tāṃ sarasvatīṃ devīṃ śāpāt pramocayām āsuḥ. teṣāṃ tu sā prabhāveṇa prakṛtisthā sarasvatī | prasannasalilā jajñe yathāpūrvaṃ tathaiva hi ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“大王啊，那些婆罗门以苦行、戒律、斋戒、种种自制与艰难誓愿，敬奉帕舒帕提——毗湿瓦那他·摩诃提婆——从而使诸河之最胜、女神萨拉斯瓦蒂脱离诅咒的重负。凭借他们修行的威力，萨拉斯瓦蒂复归本然；她的水流再度澄澈安宁，正如往昔。”

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सा: she (that one)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभावेण: by (their) power/effect
• प्रभावेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रकृतिस्था: restored to her natural state
• प्रकृतिस्था: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृतिस्थ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī (river/goddess)
• सरस्वती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रसन्नसलिला: having clear/pleasant waters
• प्रसन्नसलिला: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्नसलिल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जज्ञे: became/was born (came to be)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• तथा: so/thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• rājan (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya in frame narrative)
• brāhmaṇāḥ (Brahmins/sages)
• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Viśvanātha (Śiva)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Sarasvatī (river-goddess)
• śāpa (curse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disciplined spiritual practice—tapas, restraint, and vows—when directed with devotion, is portrayed as having real efficacy: it can remove affliction (a curse) and restore harmony in the natural and moral order. The verse highlights self-control and worship as means of purification and communal well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of Brahmins propitiate Śiva (Paśupati/Viśvanātha/Mahādeva) through austerities and vows. By the power of their worship, the river-goddess Sarasvatī is released from a curse and her waters become clear again, returning to their former, natural state.