Mahabharata · 1.163.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
ततस् तत् तादृशं दृष्ट्वा स एव भगवान् ऋषिः ॥
अभ्यपद्यत धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठो राजसत्तमम् ॥
तं च पार्थिवशार्दूलम् आनयाम् आस तत् पुरम् ॥
तपत्या सहितं राजन्न् उषितं द्वादशीः समाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tatas tat tādṛśaṃ dṛṣṭvā sa eva bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ||
abhyapadyata dharmātmā vasiṣṭho rājasattamam ||
taṃ ca pārthivaśārdūlam ānayām āsa tat puram ||
tapatyā sahitaṃ rājann uṣitaṃ dvādaśīḥ samāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः तत् तादृशं दृष्ट्वा सः एव भगवान् ऋषिःtataḥ tat tādṛśaṃ dṛṣṭvā saḥ eva bhagavān ṛṣiḥthen, seeing [the city] thus, that same blessed sage,
अभ्यपद्यत धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठः राजसत्तमम्abhyapadyata dharmātmā vasiṣṭhaḥ rājasattamamthe dharma-souled Vasishtha, approached the best of kings;
तं च पार्थिवशार्दूलम् आनयाम् आस तत् पुरम्taṃ ca pārthivaśārdūlam ānayām āsa tat puramand led that tiger-king back into that city,
तपत्या सहितं राजन् उषितं द्वादशीः समाःtapatyā sahitaṃ rājan uṣitaṃ dvādaśīḥ samāḥ[him,] together with Tapati, who had dwelt [there] twelve years;
ततस्tatasoriginal form "tatas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वसिष्ठोvasiṣṭhooriginal form "vasiṣṭho", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजन्न्rājannoriginal form "rājann", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Then, seeing the city thus, that same blessed sage, the dharma-souled Vasishtha, approached the best of kings and led that tiger-king, who together with Tapati had dwelt there twelve years, back into that city."
Version
9020cf9fa206 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:29:43 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the teacher corrects the king's lapse. It is significant that Vasishtha, seeing the people's calamity, goes himself for the king and brings him back to his duty: the family priest not only seeks boons but also exposes negligence, calling the ruler to account. Herein lies the high service of a spiritual guide: he safeguards not the king's pleasure but the good of the kingdom, and so does not fear to draw his lord away from delight. Thus the scripture shows that a true teacher brings the wayward back to the path of duty; and Vasishtha, by bringing back Samvarana, saves the perishing people.