Shloka 36

Adhyaya 24 — Kuvalayashva’s Refusal of Gifts and the Vision of Madalasa’s Maya

Sanskrit

दर्शयामास च तदा राजपुत्राय तां शुभाम् ।

सेयं न वेति ते भार्या राजपुत्र ! मदालसा ॥

Transliteration

darśayāmāsa ca tadā rājaputrāya tāṃ śubhām / seyaṃ na veti te bhāryā rājaputra ! madālasā

Translation

ثم أراه تلك المرأة المباركة للأمير وقال: «أهي زوجتُك أم ليست زوجتَك، أيها الأمير—مَدالاسا؟»

Word by Word

• darśayāmāsa: showed
• darśayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-आम-प्रयोग), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Causative (णिजन्त)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक)

• rāja-putrāya: to the prince
• rāja-putrāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘rājñaḥ putraḥ’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• tām: her / that (woman)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śubhām: auspicious / beautiful
• śubhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying tām

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• iyam: this (woman)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive/alternative particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyaparisamāpti/Quotation (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking reported speech

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāja-putra: O prince
• rāja-putra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• madālasā: Madālasā
• madālasā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madālasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to bhāryā

Speakers

• Nāgendra/Aśvatara (implied speaker of the challenge); narrated by Jaḍa

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "śṛṅgāra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Recognition vs illusion
• Test of truth
• Identity and relational dharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Life repeatedly asks: ‘Is this truly what you claim it is?’ The ethical task is to verify identity and truth rather than be swayed by appearance and suggestion—especially in matters binding like marriage.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ānucarita: a climactic narrative moment designed to disclose the working of māyā and the necessity of discernment.

What is the esoteric significance?

The binary ‘she or not’ reflects the mind’s oscillation (saṃśaya) under māyā. Liberation-oriented reading: do not accept imposed labels; seek direct knowledge (pratyakṣa/jñāna) beyond glamour.