śrutvā tu tāṃ vacanaśreṇīṃ rājā vismito bṛśam .
“Having heard that series of words the king was extremely astonished.”
Structure
śrutvā tu tāṃ vacana-śreṇīṃ rājā vismito bṛśam
rājā (king) tu (then) śrutvā (having heard) tāṃ (that) vacana-śreṇīṃ (series of words) bṛśam (greatly) vismito (wondred)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| śrutvā | śrutvā | indeclinable | — | having heard |
| tu | tu | indeclinable | — | indeed, surely |
| tāṃ | tāṃ | pronoun | accusative · singular · feminine | that |
| vacana-śreṇīṃ | vacana-śreṇīṃ | compound | karmadhāraya · "vacana śreṇī" | a series of words, speech |
| rājā | rājā | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | king |
| vismito | vismito | verb | √viś · past participle · third | was amazed |
| bṛśam | bṛśam | indeclinable | — | greatly, exceedingly |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): In this verse, śrutvā tu tāṃ vacanaśreṇīṃ rājā vismito bṛśam, the king's astonishment upon hearing the words signifies a moment of awakening, a glimpse into the reality that transcends the mundane. According to Shankara, such moments are pivotal for they lead to a questioning of one's assumptions about the world and the self. This questioning is akin to the process of neti neti, where one negates the limited and transient to reveal the unchanging and absolute, the brahman-ātman. Shankara's commentary on the Taittiriya Upanishad, particularly the section where it discusses the five sheaths of the self, provides insight into how such verses as these prompt a deeper inquiry into the nature of reality and the self, ultimately revealing the non-dual identity of brahman and ātman.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava interpretation of this verse emphasizes the devotional aspect, where the king's astonishment is seen as a form of bhakti, a profound reverence and awe for the divine. Rāmānujācārya, in his Sri Bhashya, discusses the importance of words and their power to reveal the divine. The 'vacanaśreṇīṃ' or series of words here represents the divine message that awakens the king to his true relationship with Īśvara. This relationship is one of dependence and love, where the jīva (individual self) recognizes its inherent connection to and dependence on the Īśvara (the Lord). Madhvācārya, with his emphasis on the difference between the individual self and the ultimate reality, would interpret the king's astonishment as a recognition of this difference, yet a call to devotion and surrender to the will of the Lord.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures and writings, often emphasized the universal applicability of Vedantic principles to modern life. This verse, with its depiction of the king's astonishment, can be seen as a metaphor for the awe and wonder that one experiences when confronted with the deeper truths of existence. According to Vivekānanda, such moments are opportunities for growth and self-realization, where one transcends the limitations of the ego and experiences a sense of unity and interconnectedness with all. Radhakrishnan, in his philosophical works, discussions on the harmony of religions and the universal principles that underlie all spiritual traditions, would argue that the king's reaction signifies a universal human response to the experience of the sublime, a response that bridges cultural and religious divides, pointing towards a shared human aspiration for transcendence and self-discovery.