Shloka 8

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

तान्‌ दृष्टवा राक्षसान्‌ राजन्‌ मुनयः संशितव्रता: । परित्राणे सरस्वत्या: परं यत्न॑ प्रचक्रिरे

Transliteration

tān dṛṣṭvā rākṣasān rājan munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | paritrāṇe sarasvatyāḥ paraṃ yatnaṃ pracakrire rājan ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“大王啊，见到那些罗刹之后，诸位仙人——坚守严苦誓戒者——竭尽全力，护卫萨拉斯瓦蒂河的神圣渡口（tīrtha）。”

Word by Word

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• राक्षसान्: rakshasas, demons
• राक्षसान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संशितव्रताः: of strict/firm vows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशितव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परित्राणे: in/for the protection
• परित्राणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परित्राण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सरस्वत्याः: of Sarasvatī (river/holy place)
• सरस्वत्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• परम्: great, utmost
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रचक्रिरे: they undertook/made (they exerted)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Ātmanepada, Third, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rākṣasas
• munis (sages)
• Sarasvatī (river)
• Sarasvatī-tīrtha (sacred ford/place)
• rājan (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those established in vows and discipline are obligated to act for protection (paritrāṇa)—especially to safeguard sacred spaces and the moral order—when threatened by destructive forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rākṣasas appear near a Sarasvatī tīrtha; upon seeing them, the vow-observant sages mobilize their greatest efforts to defend and preserve that holy place.