Shloka 31

Adhyaya 22 — Kuvalayashva’s Death through Daitya-Deceit and Madalasa’s Self-Immolation

Sanskrit

अवश्यं याति यद्देहं तद्द्विजानां कृते यदि ।

मम पुत्रेण संत्यक्तं नन्वभ्युदयकारि तत् ॥

Transliteration

avaśyaṃ yāti yad dehaṃ tad dvijānāṃ kṛte yadi /

mama putreṇa saṃtyaktaṃ nanv abhyudayakāri tat

Translation

“إذا كان الجسد لا بدّ أن يفارق (يفنى) حتمًا، فإذا كان ابني قد تركه من أجل ذوي الولادتين، أفلا يكون ذلك سببًا للخير والرفعة؟”

Word by Word

• अवश्यम्: surely
• अवश्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: certainly/inevitably)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlative ‘that’

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कृते: for the sake of
• कृते: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: अर्थे सप्तमी-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (postposition-like): ‘for the sake of’ (genitive-associated)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पुत्रेण: by (my) son
• पुत्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संत्यक्तम्: abandoned / given up
• संत्यक्तम्: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• ननु: surely
• ननु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ननु (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/प्रत्यवायार्थक निपात (particle: surely/indeed)

• अभ्युदयकारि: bringing prosperity/auspiciousness
• अभ्युदयकारि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्युदय-कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अभ्युदय + कारिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत्)

• तत्: that (act)
• तत्: Karta/Karma (सम्बन्धानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speakers

• King

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Inevitability of death
• Dharma-oriented sacrifice
• Abhyudaya (worldly/spiritual welfare)
• Detachment from the body

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Since bodily death is unavoidable, the meaningful question is the purpose for which one lives and dies. Relinquishing the body in service of dharma is portrayed as producing abhyudaya—uplift for self and society.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A dharma-exemplum within narrative history (vaṃśānucarita-type), not a direct sarga/manvantara passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Giving up the body’ also suggests surrender of bodily identification (dehābhimāna). When offered for ‘dvija’ (higher truth/knowledge), it becomes an inner yajña yielding spiritual ascent.