Shloka 106

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

निहतामित्रवर्गश्च पित्रोः सुश्रूषणं कुरु ।

वत्स ! धन्यस्य कथ्यन्ते परोक्षस्यापि ते गुणाः ॥

Transliteration

nihatāmitra-vargaś ca pitroḥ suśrūṣaṇaṃ kuru | vatsa! dhanyasya kathyante parokṣasyāpi te guṇāḥ ||

Translation

„Nachdem du die Schar der Feinde erschlagen hast, diene nun deinen Eltern in rechter Weise. O Sohn! Selbst in Abwesenheit werden die Tugenden der Gesegneten gerühmt.“

Word by Word

• nihata-amitra-vargaḥ: (you) whose band of enemies is slain
• nihata-amitra-vargaḥ: Sambodhana/Viśeṣaṇa (सम्बोधन/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nihata (कृदन्त; नि-√han, क्त) + amitra (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: ‘enemy-group that has been slain’ (karmadhāraya/tatpuruṣa nuance); used as address/descriptor

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pitroḥ: of the two parents
• pitroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6/षष्ठी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन); genitive ‘of (your) two parents/father and mother’

• suśrūṣaṇam: service, attentive obedience
• suśrūṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suśrūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of kuru

• kuru: do, perform
• kuru: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्; imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• vatsa: dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (सम्बोधन), Ekavacana; vocative address

• dhanyasya: of the blessed one
• dhanyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive ‘of the blessed/fortunate (person)’

• kathyante: are spoken of
• kathyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्; present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; ātmanepada; passive sense ‘are spoken/told’

• parokṣasya: of one who is absent
• parokṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive ‘of one who is absent/unseen’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning ‘even/also’

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; enclitic genitive ‘your’

• guṇāḥ: qualities, virtues
• guṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; subject of kathyante

Speakers

• Nāgendra addressing the younger hero

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Filial duty (pitṛ-śuśrūṣā)
• Fame of virtues
• Post-victory humility

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Worldly success (defeating enemies) is incomplete without pitṛ-sevā; enduring reputation arises from guṇa expressed in conduct, not merely from power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily dharma-upadeśa within narrative (subsidiary to vaṃśānucarita); it is not a sarga/pratisarga/manvantara passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Enemies’ can be read inwardly as passions; after inner conquest, one must stabilize life through gratitude and service to the sources of embodiment (parents).