Shloka 19

Ruru’s Lament and the Lifespan Exchange for Pramadvarā (रुरु–प्रमद्वरा आयुर्विभागः)

Devanagari script

स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्या पद्मकिज्जल्कसुप्र भाम्‌ । व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रत:,कमलके केसरकी-सी कान्तिवाली उस दुर्लभ भार्याको पाकर व्रतधारी रुरुने सर्पोंके विनाशका निश्चय कर लिया

Transliteration

sa labdhvā durlabhāṃ bhāryāṃ padmakijjalkasuprabhām | vrataṃ cakre vināśāya jihmagānāṃ dhṛtavrataḥ ||

Translation

ولمّا نالَ تلك الزوجةَ النادرة، المتلألئةَ كخيوطِ غبارِ طلعِ اللوتس، أخذَ رورو، الثابتَ على نذره، عهدًا يهدفُ إلى إفناءِ الحيّات.

Word by Word

सःhe

लब्ध्वाhaving obtained

दुर्लभाम्hard-to-obtain

भार्याम्wife

पद्मकिञ्जल्कसुप्रभाम्having splendid radiance like lotus-filaments

व्रतम्vow

चक्रेmade / undertook

विनाशायfor destruction

जिह्मगानाम्of serpents

धृतव्रतःone who has taken/held a vow; firm in vow

Speaker

धर्मराज उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ruru

serpents (nāgāḥ/jihmagāḥ)

wife (bhāryā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how intense attachment and grief can turn into a rigid vow of retaliation. It invites reflection on whether a vow born from anger aligns with dharma, and foreshadows the moral complexity of punishing an entire class (serpents) for a particular harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ruru, having gained a rare and exceptionally radiant wife, becomes fixed in a vow to destroy serpents. This marks the turning point where his personal circumstances lead him toward a campaign against snakes, setting up subsequent encounters and ethical questioning.