Shloka 1

वसिष्ठ-आतिथ्यं

Vasiṣṭha’s Hospitality to Viśvāmitra and the Summoning of Śabalā/Kāmadhenu

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतो विश्वामित्रो महाबल:।प्रणतो विनयाद्वीरो वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम्।।।।

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā paramaprīto viśvāmitro mahābalaḥ | praṇato vinayād vīro vasiṣṭhaṃ japatāṃ varam ||

Translation

见到婆悉吒——诸勤修圣诵者之最胜——大力英雄毗湿瓦密多欢喜无量，出于恭敬而俯首致礼。

Word by Word

• सः: he (Viśvāmitra)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता; Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया ‘having seen’

• परम-प्रीतः: exceedingly pleased
• परम-प्रीतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीत (कृदन्त; √प्री (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; ‘प्रीत’ (क्त) = ‘प्रसन्न’

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: Karta (कर्ता; Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाबलः: very powerful
• महाबलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• प्रणतः: bowed down
• प्रणतः: Karta (कर्ता; subject-apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नत (कृदन्त; √नम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘प्रणत’ = ‘नमित/नत’

• विनयात्: out of humility/respect
• विनयात्: Hetu (हेतु; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause: out of respect)

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-विशेषणवत् (appositional)

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म; Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जपताम्: of those who pray
• जपताम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √जप् (धातु) → जपत् (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त ‘जपत्’ = ‘जपं कुर्वन्’

• वरम्: best, foremost
• वरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वसिष्ठम्)

Context

Overwhelmed with joy the mighty, heroic Viswamitra upon seeing Vasishta, the greatest among ascetics, was and offered respectful salutations.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as honouring spiritual excellence: even the powerful must bow to genuine tapas and sacred learning.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra encounters Vasiṣṭha and greets him with visible joy and formal obeisance, establishing the social-religious protocol before dialogue unfolds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (humility) paired with recognition of spiritual authority.