Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तत उद्यम्य दण्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा । जिधघांसु: कुपितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभ:,उसे देखते ही उसके क्रोधका पारा चढ़ गया और उस ब्राह्मणने उस समय सर्पको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे कालदण्डके समान भयंकर डंडा उठाया। तब उस डुण्डुभने मनुष्यकी बोलीमें कहा--

Transliteration

tata udyamya daṇḍaṃ sa kāladaṇḍopamaṃ tadā | jidhaghāṃsuḥ kupito vipras tam uvācātha ḍuṇḍubhaḥ ||

Translation

Da hob der Brahmane in einem Anfall von Zorn einen Stab empor — schrecklich wie der Stab des Todes selbst —, entschlossen zuzuschlagen und zu töten. In diesem Augenblick redete das Wesen namens Ḍuṇḍubha ihn in menschlicher Sprache an und trat dazwischen, ehe die Gewalt vollzogen werden konnte.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• उद्यम्य: having lifted/raising
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-यम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• दण्डम्: staff/rod
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• कालदण्डोपमम्: like the rod of Death (Yama)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालदण्डोपम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• जिघांसुः: desiring to kill
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: उण् (desiderative agent noun: -सुँ), masculine, nominative, singular

• कुपितः: angry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुपित
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), masculine, nominative, singular

• विप्रः: the brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: perfect (लिट्), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• डुण्डुभः: Dundubha (the serpent named Dundubha)
• डुण्डुभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: डुण्डुभ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

धर्मराज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• धर्मराज (Dharmarāja) (speaker attribution)
• विप्र (vipra, brahmin)
• डुण्डुभ (Ḍuṇḍubha)
• दण्ड (staff/rod)
• काल (Kāla/Death-Time)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger can quickly turn into lethal intent, and suggests an ethical pause: before punishment or violence is enacted, reasoned speech and discernment should intervene. The image of the 'rod of Kāla' underscores the gravity of acting rashly.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brahmin, enraged, raises a fearsome staff intending to kill. Before the blow falls, Ḍuṇḍubha speaks in human language, signaling an extraordinary interruption meant to stop or redirect the impending act.