Mahavastu [sanskrit verses and english]

by Émile Senart | 1882 | 56,574 words

This is the Sanskrit Mahavastu: a lengthy work on Buddhist teachings and narratives belonging to the school of early Buddhism (Mahasanghika). This edition only includes those metrical verses occuring in the various stories and Jatakas, as well as the corresponding English translation by J. J. Jones.

Verse 64.453

गगणे निमिषे शक्यं बालेन गणेतु तारकां ।
न तस्य गुणपर्यन्तं शक्यं वाचाय भाषितुं ॥ ४५३ ॥

gagaṇe nimiṣe śakyaṃ bālena gaṇetu tārakāṃ |
na tasya guṇaparyantaṃ śakyaṃ vācāya bhāṣituṃ || 453 ||

It would be easier for an infant to count the stars in the twinkling sky than it would be to tell in words the limit of this man’s virtues. (453)

English translation by J. J. Jones (1949) Read online

Glossary of Sanskrit terms

Note: This extracts Sanskrit terms and links to English definitions from the glossary, based on an experimental segmentation of verse (64.453). Some terms could be superfluous while some might not be mentioned. Click on the word to show English definitions.

Gagana, Nimish, Nimisha, Shakya, Bala, Gana, Gani, Taraka, Tad, Guna, Paryantam, Paryanta, Vaca,

Analysis of Sanskrit grammar

Note: this is an experimental feature and only shows the first possible analysis of the Sanskrit text (Mahavastu Verse 64.453). If the system was successful in segmenting the sentence, you will see of which words it is made up of, generally consisting of Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Participles and Indeclinables. Click on the link to show all possible derivations of the word.

  • Line 1: “gagaṇe nimiṣe śakyaṃ bālena gaṇetu tārakāṃ
  • gagaṇe -
  • gagaṇa (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    gagaṇa (noun, neuter)
    [nominative dual], [vocative dual], [accusative dual], [locative single]
  • nimiṣe -
  • nimiṣ (noun, feminine)
    [dative single]
    nimiṣa (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
  • śakyam -
  • śakya (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    śakya (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    śakyā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
    śak -> śakya (participle, masculine)
    [accusative single from √śak class 5 verb]
    śak -> śakya (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √śak class 5 verb], [accusative single from √śak class 5 verb]
  • bālena -
  • bāla (noun, masculine)
    [instrumental single]
    bāla (noun, neuter)
    [instrumental single]
  • gaṇe -
  • gaṇa (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    gaṇā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative dual], [vocative single], [vocative dual], [accusative dual]
    gaṇi (noun, feminine)
    [vocative single]
    gaṇi (noun, masculine)
    [vocative single]
  • tu -
  • tu (indeclinable particle)
    [indeclinable particle]
  • tārakām -
  • tārakā (noun, feminine)
    [accusative single]
  • Line 2: “na tasya guṇaparyantaṃ śakyaṃ vācāya bhāṣituṃ
  • na -
  • na (indeclinable particle)
    [indeclinable particle]
    na (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    na (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • tasya -
  • tas -> tasya (absolutive)
    [absolutive from √tas]
    ta (noun, masculine)
    [genitive single]
    ta (noun, neuter)
    [genitive single]
    tad (noun, neuter)
    [genitive single]
    sa (noun, masculine)
    [genitive single]
    tas (verb class 4)
    [imperative active second single]
  • guṇa -
  • guṇa (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • paryantam -
  • paryantam (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    paryanta (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    paryanta (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    paryantā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
  • śakyam -
  • śakya (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    śakya (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    śakyā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
    śak -> śakya (participle, masculine)
    [accusative single from √śak class 5 verb]
    śak -> śakya (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √śak class 5 verb], [accusative single from √śak class 5 verb]
  • vācāya -
  • vāca (noun, masculine)
    [dative single]
  • bhāṣitum -
  • bhāṣ -> bhāṣitum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √bhāṣ]

Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Mahavastu Verse 64.453

Cover of edition (1949)

The Mahavastu
by J. J. Jones (1949)

Translated from the Buddhist Sanskrit

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