Shloka 97
The Greatness of the Ancestors: Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha, Āśauca Rules, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa
वृद्धोपि स द्विजो राजन्जगाम स्वार्थसिद्धये । अणुहो नाम वैभ्राजः पञ्चालाधिपतिः पुरा
vṛddhopi sa dvijo rājanjagāma svārthasiddhaye | aṇuho nāma vaibhrājaḥ pañcālādhipatiḥ purā
大王啊，虽已年迈，那位婆罗门仍为成就自身所愿而启程。往昔，般遮罗（Pañcāla）有一位君主名为阿努诃（Aṇuha），出自毗婆罗阇（Vaibhrāja）一系。
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (rājan) in Adhyaya 10
Concept: Age is not a barrier to dharmic striving; purposeful action undertaken with faith can still bear fruit.
Application: Do not postpone spiritual or ethical goals due to age or fatigue; take the next right step toward your ‘svārtha’ understood as dharma-aligned welfare.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An elderly brāhmaṇa, leaning on a staff yet bright-eyed, sets out on a dusty road toward a royal court, determined to fulfill his purpose. In the background rises the bannered city of Pañcāla, with palace terraces and sacrificial smoke curling upward, hinting at an older age of dharma-kings.","primary_figures":["elder brāhmaṇa","King Aṇuha (as a distant courtly figure or portrait vignette)","attendants/courtiers"],"setting":"ancient North Indian roadway leading to a fortified city and palace court; subtle yajña altar smoke in the distance","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["ochre","royal maroon","smoke gray","peacock blue","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central elderly brāhmaṇa with ornate staff and sacred thread, walking toward a Pañcāla palace; King Aṇuha seated in a jeweled court vignette; gold leaf architecture highlights, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, symmetrical temple-like framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a long winding road with delicate trees and distant city walls of Pañcāla; the old brāhmaṇa rendered with refined facial lines and gentle dignity; cool shadows, lyrical sky, minimal but precise court detail.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized elder brāhmaṇa in frontal pose with bold outlines; Pañcāla palace as patterned backdrop; warm reds and yellows with green accents, rhythmic ornamentation and temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel with floral borders; central walking brāhmaṇa framed by lotus vines; small medallion showing King Aṇuha in court; deep blue ground with gold and white detailing, devotional symmetry despite historical theme."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["footsteps on earth","distant court drums","soft conch in background","wind through trees"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vṛddhopi = vṛddhaḥ + api; rājanjagāma = rājan + jagāma.
FAQs
The verse is framed as narration to a king (“O king”), but this single śloka does not identify the king by name; it relies on the wider chapter’s dialogue context.
It literally means “for the accomplishment of his own purpose/aim,” indicating a personal objective (which may or may not be selfish in an ethical sense, depending on the surrounding narrative).
It mentions the Pañcālas and their ruler Aṇuha, preserving a traditional reference to an ancient polity/region known from broader Sanskrit literature.