Shloka 49

The Glory of the Devoted Wife (Pativratā) and the Māṇḍavya Curse: Sunrise Halted and Restored

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा सर्वान्निशाचारानाहूय नृपती रुषा । जीवितुं यदि वो वांछा चोरं मामद्य दास्यथ

Transliteration

śrutvā sarvānniśācārānāhūya nṛpatī ruṣā | jīvituṃ yadi vo vāṃchā coraṃ māmadya dāsyatha

Translation

فلما سمع الملك ذلك استدعى، غضبان، جميع السائرين في الليل وقال: «إن كنتم تريدون الحياة فسلّموا إليّ ذلك اللصّ اليوم».

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन — ‘निशाचारान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• निशाचारान्: night-roamers (guards/agents)
• निशाचारान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निशायाः आचारः/चरः)

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आह्वा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund), ‘आ-’ उपसर्ग, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having summoned)

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृणां पतिः)

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: Karana (करण/Means-manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental sg) — भावकरण (with anger)

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to live)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional: if)

• वः: for you (all)
• वः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive pl) वा चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (Dative pl); अत्र ‘वः’ = for you (pl.)

• वाञ्छा: desire
• वाञ्छा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• चोरम्: the thief
• चोरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन

• माम्: to me
• माम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative sg)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (today/now)

• दास्यथ: you will give/hand over
• दास्यथ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

The king (nṛpati)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वान्निशाचारानाहूय = सर्वान् + निशाचारान् + आहूय; मामद्य = माम् + अद्य

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and to whom?

The speaker is the king (nṛpati), addressing “niśācāras”—night-roaming beings or nocturnal raiders—whom he has summoned.

What ethical lesson does this verse convey?

It highlights accountability: those who shelter or enable wrongdoing are warned to cooperate with justice, reflecting the king’s duty to protect society and uphold dharma.

Does this verse emphasize Bhakti or sacred geography (tīrthas)?

No. This shloka is primarily narrative and juridical, focusing on royal authority and the demand to surrender a thief rather than on bhakti practice or tīrtha geography.