Shloka 9

शबलाप्रार्थना–वसिष्ठप्रतिज्ञा

The Request for Śabalā and Vasiṣṭha’s Refusal

Devanagari script

गवां शतसहस्रेण दीयतां शबला मम।रत्नं हि भगवन्नेतद्रत्नहारी च प्रार्थिव:।।1.53.9।।तस्मान्मे शबलां देहि ममैषा धर्मतो द्विज।

Transliteration

gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa dīyatāṃ śabalā mama |

ratnaṃ hi bhagavann etad ratnahārī ca prārthivaḥ || 1.53.9 ||

tasmān me śabalāṃ dehi mamaiṣā dharmato dvija |

Translation

এক লক্ষ গাভীর বিনিময়ে আমার শবলা আমাকে প্রদান করুন। ভগবন, এ তো রত্ন; আর রাজা রত্নের অন্বেষী। অতএব, হে দ্বিজ, ধর্মতঃ আমার শবলাকে আমাকে দিন।

Word by Word

• gavām: of cows
• gavām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/genitive), Bahuvacana (plural)

• śatasahasreṇa: with a hundred-thousand (cows)
• śatasahasreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकaliṅga (neuter), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/instrumental), Ekavacana (singular); dvigu-samāsa (numeral compound)

• dīyatām: let (her) be given
• dīyatām: Vidhi (विधि/injunctive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (imperative/benedictive), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular), Karmaṇi prayoga (passive): 'let it be given'

• śabalā: Śabalā (the cow)
• śabalā: Karma (कर्म/object; logical object of giving in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular)

• mama: my / to me (contextual)
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/genitive), Ekavacana (singular); sarvanāma (pronoun)

• ratnam: a jewel
• ratnam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (neuter), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), emphasis/indeed

• bhagavan: O venerable one
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana (singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (neuter), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular); sarvanāma used adjectivally

• ratnahārī: jewel-taker / acquirer of gems
• ratnahārī: Karta (कर्ता/subject; apposition to prārthivaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna + hārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'ratnānāṃ hārī'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• prārthivaḥ: king
• prārthivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivīya/prārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverbial (तस्मात् = 'therefore/from that'); nipātavat prayoga

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī vibhakti (4th/dative), Ekavacana (singular); enclitic form

• śabalām: Śabalā (cow)
• śabalām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/accusative), Ekavacana (singular)

• dehi: give
• dehi: Kriyā (क्रिया/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (singular), Parasmaipada

• mama: mine
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/genitive), Ekavacana (singular)

• eṣā: this (she)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana (singular); sarvanāma

• dharmataḥ: rightfully / according to dharma
• dharmataḥ: Prakāra (प्रकार/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tasil-avyaya (तसिल्/ablatival adverb) from 'dharma': 'according to right/by law'

• dvija: O brahmin
• dvija: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana (singular)

Context

"I shall give you a hundred thousand cows in exchange for Sabala. O! Respectable one! this cow is a gem. A king (along) has a right on jewels, O Brahmin, for that reason, Sabala rightfully belongs to me. Therefore, give this cow".

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha
• Śabalā

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It raises a dharma-conflict: royal power and desire versus rightful ownership and the limits of kingship over a brahmin’s sacred property.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra offers an exchange and argues that Śabalā, as a ‘jewel,’ should belong to a king.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not virtue but a tested trait: ambition and entitlement, presented under the language of dharma—showing how ‘dharma-claims’ can be misused.