Shloka 42

Bhāgīratha’s Tapas and the Petition to Gaṅgā (गङ्गावतरण-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

असमजग्जोभयाद्‌ घोरात्‌ ततो नस्त्रातुमरहसि । पौराणां वचन श्रुत्वा घोरं नृपतिसत्तम:,“अत: असमंजसके घोर भयसे आप हमारी रक्षा करें!” पुरवासियोंका यह भयंकर वचन सुनकर नृपश्रेष्ठ सगर दो घड़ीतक अनमने होकर बैठे रहे। फिर मन्त्रियोंसे इस प्रकार बोले--'आज मेरे पुत्र असमंजसको मेरे घरसे बाहर निकाल दो”

Transliteration

Asamajag-jo bhayād ghorāt tato nas trātum arhasi | Paurāṇāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā ghoraṁ nṛpati-sattamaḥ …

Translation

Lomaśa sagte: „‚Vor dieser schrecklichen Furcht, die Asamañjasa verursacht, musst du uns schützen.‘ Als König Sagara — der beste der Herrscher — diese entsetzlichen Worte der Bürger hörte, saß er eine Weile in bekümmerter Unentschlossenheit. Dann sprach er zu seinen Ministern: ‚Heute treibt meinen Sohn Asamañjasa aus meinem Haus hinaus.‘“

Word by Word

असमजत्from confusion/indecision

भयात्from fear

घोरात्terrible (from the terrible)

ततःtherefore/then

नःof us / our

त्रातुम्to protect

अर्हसिyou ought/are able

पौराणाम्of the citizens

वचनम्speech/words

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

घोरम्terrible

नृपतिसत्तमःthe best of kings

Speaker

लोगमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomasha

Asamañjasa

Sagara

townspeople (paurāḥ)

ministers (mantriṇaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s primary dharma is protection of the people. Even when the wrongdoer is one’s own child, the king must prioritize public safety and social order over personal attachment, acting through lawful counsel (ministers) and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

The citizens complain to King Sagara that they are terrified because of Asamañjasa’s conduct and ask for protection. Sagara, shaken and conflicted, reflects briefly and then orders his ministers to expel Asamañjasa from the royal household.