Shloka 56

Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation

Sumitra Itihāsa Begins

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ तत्र यतो वृत्तं नराधिप । ततः प्रभामयी देवी शरीरात्‌ तस्य निर्यया

Transliteration

ity uktvā prayayau tatra yato vṛttaṃ narādhipa | tataḥ prabhāmayī devī śarīrāt tasya niryayau | tvayā tyaktā gamiṣyāmi bala-hānugatā hāham |

Translation

So sprach er und ging dorthin, wohin der Weg der rechten Lebensführung gegangen war, o König. Da trat aus seinem Leib eine strahlende Göttin hervor. Sie verkündete: „Von dir verlassen, werde ich fortgehen. Ach, ich folge der Kraft (Bala).“

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• प्रययौ: went forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: लिट् (perfect), 3, singular, parasmaipada

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• यतः: from where/whence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस्

• वृत्तम्: the event/occurrence
• वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्रभामयी: radiant, full of splendor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभामय
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• शरीरात्: from (his) body
• शरीरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• निर्यया: came out, emerged
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या
• Form: लिट् (perfect), 3, singular, parasmaipada

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: instrumental, singular

• त्यक्ता: abandoned (I, fem.)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), feminine, nominative, singular

• गमिष्यामि: I shall go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 1, singular, parasmaipada

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अनुगता: having followed, attendant upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-गम्
• Form: क्त (past participle, active sense), feminine, nominative, singular

• हा: alas!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: nominative, singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नराधिप (king, addressee)
• प्रभामयी देवी (radiant goddess)
• लक्ष्मी (Lakṣmī)
• बल (Bala, Strength)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Lakṣmī (fortune, splendor) is not independent of moral strength: she accompanies Bala—understood as righteous vigor, self-control, and steadfast conduct. When a person abandons that strength, prosperity naturally departs.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a declaration, Bala goes away following the path of proper conduct. Immediately a radiant goddess emerges from the (former) host’s body and announces that she is Lakṣmī; since she has been forsaken, she will leave, because she follows Bala.