Shloka 11

Upaśruti Guides Indrāṇī to Indra; Indrāṇī Reports Nahuṣa’s Misconduct (उपश्रुति-इन्द्राणी-इन्द्रदर्शन प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

पद्मस्य भित्त्वा नालं च विवेश सहिता तया । बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टं च तत्रापश्यच्छतक्रतुम्‌

Transliteration

padmasya bhittvā nālaṃ ca viveśa sahitā tayā | bisatantupraviṣṭaṃ ca tatrāpaśyac chatakratum ||

Translation

Nachdem sie den Lotosstängel aufgespalten hatte, trat sie zusammen mit ihm ins Innere ein; und dort sah sie Śatakratu (Indra) verborgen, nachdem er in eine Lotosfaser geschlüpft war. Die Episode macht deutlich, dass Verbergen und Ausweichen—selbst bei Mächtigen—durch entschlossene Nachforschung aufgedeckt werden können, und sie rahmt die ethische Spannung zwischen Begehren, Geheimhaltung und Verantwortlichkeit.

Word by Word

• पद्मस्य: of the lotus
• पद्मस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having split / having pierced
• भित्त्वा: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• नालम्: the stalk (of the lotus)
• नालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Past (narrative perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सहिता: accompanied / together
• सहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तया: with her
• तया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टम्: entered into a lotus-fibre (i.e., hidden within a lotus filament)
• बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिस-तन्तु-प्रविष्ट
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), Past, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शतक्रतुम्: Śatakratu (Indra)
• शतक्रतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Indrāṇī
• lotus (padma)
• lotus-stalk (nāla)
• lotus-fibre/filament (bisa-tantu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that secrecy and evasive hiding—especially when driven by desire or fear of blame—are ethically unstable: persistent scrutiny can uncover the truth, reinforcing the value of accountability and upright conduct (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Indrāṇī splits the lotus-stalk and enters within; there she discovers Indra (Śatakratu) concealed by slipping into a lotus-fibre, revealing his attempt to hide.