Shloka 21

Nahūṣa as Ajagara: Virtue Hierarchy, Karmic Gati, and the Psychology of Mind–Intellect

Devanagari script

ततश्न यात्वा मरुधन्वपारश्व सदा भरनुर्वेदरतिप्रधाना: सरस्वतीमेत्य निवासकामा: सरस्ततो द्वैतवनं प्रतीयु:

Transliteration

tataś ca yātvā marudhanv-apārśvaṃ sadā bharanur-vedarati-pradhānāḥ | sarasvatīm etya nivāsakāmāḥ saras tato dvaitavanaṃ pratīyuḥ ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：随后，他们来到毗邻摩卢檀婆之地。那些以喜悦吠陀、精于弓术与武备而著称的英杰，因渴望寻得栖居之所，抵达了萨拉斯瓦蒂河；又自那湖泊出发，前往德外塔瓦那森林。

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: negation particle

• यात्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (याति)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), active: 'having gone'

• मरुधन्व: to Marudhanvan (a place/region)
• मरुधन्व: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुधन्वन्
• Form: masculine, accusative singular (proper name/place-name)

• अपारश्वाः: having no flanks/without sides (epithet; very strong/unyielding)
• अपारश्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपारश्व
• Form: masculine, nominative plural

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा
• Form: indeclinable

• भरनुः: Bharanu (name of a person/leader)
• भरनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरनु
• Form: masculine, nominative singular (proper name)

• वेदरतिप्रधानाः: chiefly devoted to delight in the Veda
• वेदरतिप्रधानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-रति-प्रधान
• Form: masculine, nominative plural

• सरस्वतीम्: the Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: feminine, accusative singular

• एत्य: having come (to); having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (एति)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-type absolutive: 'having come/approached'

• निवासकामाḥ: desiring to dwell (there)
• निवासकामाḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवास-काम
• Form: masculine, nominative plural

• सरः: a lake
• सरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्
• Form: neuter, accusative singular

• ततः: from there; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: indeclinable

• द्वैतवनम्: Dvaītavana (forest)
• द्वैतवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैतवन
• Form: neuter, accusative singular (proper name)

• प्रतीयुः: they went forth; they proceeded
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इ (प्रेति/प्रयाति)
• Form: perfect (लिट्), 3rd person plural, parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Marudhanva
• Sarasvatī
• saras (lake)
• Dvaitavana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal of balance: even while armed and capable in martial discipline, the travelers are described as devoted to Vedic learning and seek a proper place of residence, suggesting that strength is to be guided by sacred knowledge and orderly conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

The group moves onward in the wilderness: they travel to the vicinity of Marudhanva, reach the sacred Sarasvatī, and then proceed from a lake there to the forest called Dvaitavana, looking for a suitable place to stay.