Shloka 2

Adhyaya 18 — Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

Sanskrit

पौरैश्चात्माभिषेकार्थं समाहूतोऽब्रवीदिदम् ।

नाहं राज्यं करिष्यामि मन्त्रिणो नरकोत्तरम् ॥

Transliteration

pauraiś cātmābhiṣekārthaṃ samāhūto 'bravīd idam /

nāhaṃ rājyaṃ kariṣyāmi mantriṇo narakottaram

Translation

Auch von den Bürgern zu seiner eigenen Weihe berufen, sprach er: „O Minister, ich werde die Königsherrschaft nicht übernehmen—sie führt zur Hölle (wenn man sie verfehlt ausübt).“

Word by Word

• पौरैः: by the citizens
• पौरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आत्म-अभिषेक-अर्थम्: for (his) own coronation
• आत्म-अभिषेक-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (अर्थम्-प्रयोगः = हेतु/प्रयोजन); तत्पुरुषः—आत्मनः अभिषेकस्य अर्थम्

• समाहूतः: having been summoned
• समाहूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘called/summoned’

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom/rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: will do/undertake
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रिणः: O ministers
• मन्त्रिणः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन (हे मन्त्रिणः)

• नरक-उत्तरम्: leading to hell / hellish
• नरक-उत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—नरकात् उत्तरम् (leading to hell / worse than hell)

Speakers

• Putra narrating; Arjuna Kārtavīrya speaking to ministers/citizens

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Rājadharma
• Accountability of rulers
• Karmic consequence
• Coronation (abhiṣeka)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Kingship is framed as a grave moral burden: power without proper protection of subjects and justice becomes a cause of severe karmic downfall.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita (career of a king) with embedded rājadharma instruction—typical Purāṇic didactic governance material.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘fear of hell’ symbolizes the inner recognition that adhikāra (fitness) and responsibility must match authority; sovereignty without dharma is spiritually destructive.