Shloka 21

अंशुमान्—अश्वान्वेषणम्, दिशागजसंवादः, कपिलदाहवृत्तान्तः, गङ्गोपदेशः

Anshuman’s Search for the Horse and the Counsel to Bring Ganga

Devanagari script

गच्छ चाश्वं महाभाग तं गृह्य पुरुषर्षभ।।।।यज्ञं पैतामहं वीर संवर्तयितुमर्हसि।

Transliteration

gaccha cāśvaṃ mahābhāga taṃ gṛhya puruṣarṣabha | yajñaṃ paitāmahaṃ vīra saṃvartayitum arhasi ||

Translation

去吧，福德具足者；人中雄者，擒取那匹马。勇士啊，你当使你祖父的祭祀圆满完成。

Word by Word

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• अश्वम्: horse
• अश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महान् भागः यस्य)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• गृह्य: having taken
• गृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having taken’

• पुरुष-ऋषभ: O best among men
• पुरुष-ऋषभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पैतामहम्: ancestral (grandfather's)
• पैतामहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित (पैतामह = belonging to grandfather)

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• संवर्तयितुम्: to complete
• संवर्तयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) + तुमुन् (Infinitive); ‘to bring to completion/finish’

• अर्हसि: you should/it behoves you
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

'O Highly fortunate one! O Best among men! go back with that horse. O Hero! Itbehoves of you to complete the sacrifice undertaken by your grandfather'.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Anśumān
• sacrificial horse (aśva)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma values completion of rightful undertakings: sacred commitments (yajña) should not be left unfinished when their lawful continuation is possible.

What is the narrative situation?

After explaining the unique role of Gaṅgā for the departed, Garuḍa instructs Anśumān to retrieve the horse and ensure the sacrifice is completed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and duty-fulfillment—carrying obligations to their proper end.