Shloka 46

त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma

Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123

Devanagari script

पर्वतेभ्यश्न जागर्ति रसो रसगुणात्‌ तथा । जागर्ति निर्क्रतिदेवी ज्योतींषि निर्क्रतेरेपि

Transliteration

parvatebhyaś ca jāgarti raso rasaguṇāt tathā | jāgarti nirṛtidevī jyotīṁṣi nirṛter api ||

Translation

婆苏诃罗摩说道：“由群山而生的精髓（rasa）守望不眠；由这精髓之德性，它亦常怀警觉。女神尼尔利提（Nirṛti）守望不眠；由尼尔利提，连诸光明天体亦皆警醒。于是，在相互扶持的传承链中，每一原理都执持‘杖’（daṇḍa）——约束与统御之权——为护持世界而恒常警觉。”

Word by Word

• {'parvatebhyaḥ': 'from the mountains', 'rasaḥ': 'sap, essence

• also taste/juice', 'jāgarti': 'keeps awake

• remains vigilant', 'rasaguṇāt': 'from the quality/property of rasa', 'tathā': 'likewise

• in the same way', 'nirṛti-devī': 'the goddess Nirṛti (often associated with dissolution, adversity, or the south-west quarter)', 'jyotīṁṣi': 'lights

• luminaries (stars, celestial lights)', 'nirṛteḥ': 'from Nirṛti

• of Nirṛti', 'api': 'also

Speaker

वसुहरोम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वसुहरोम (Vasuharoma)
• पर्वत (mountains)
• रस (rasa/essence)
• निर्ऋति देवी (Goddess Nirṛti)
• ज्योतिषि/ज्योतींषि (luminaries/lights)
• दण्ड (daṇḍa, staff of governance/discipline)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a dharmic vision of governance and cosmic stability: protective power (daṇḍa—discipline, restraint, rightful authority) must remain ‘awake’ through an interlinked chain of supports. Order is sustained when each level of reality performs its role vigilantly for loka-rakṣā (protection of the world).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasuharoma describes a symbolic sequence—mountains, essence (rasa), its qualities, the goddess Nirṛti, and the luminaries—each ‘keeping watch.’ The imagery explains how the world’s protection is maintained through successive agencies that uphold the principle of daṇḍa, i.e., the enforcing power that preserves order.