Shloka 18

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

Sanskrit

पुत्रावूचतुरिति कृत्वा मतिं सो 'थ निष्पाद्योदकदानिकम् ।

क्रियाश्चानन्तरं कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच ऋतध्वजः ॥

Transliteration

putrāv ūcatuḥ iti kṛtvā matiṃ so 'tha niṣpādyo daka-dānikam / kriyāś cānantaraṃ kṛtvā pratyuvāca ṛtadhvajaḥ

Translation

Nachdem die beiden Söhne gesprochen hatten, fasste er einen Entschluss und vollzog die Wasseropfergabe; und nachdem er die darauffolgenden Riten ausgeführt hatte, erwiderte Ṛtadhvaja.

Word by Word

• putrau: the two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ūcatuḥ: said (the two)
• ūcatuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tvā (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• matim: intention / resolve
• matim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (तद्-सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Sequential particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय)

• niṣpādya: having accomplished / having arranged
• niṣpādya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niṣ-pad (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive in -ya (ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थ), with prefix niṣ- (निष्-)

• udaka-dānikam: water-offering rite / gift of water
• udaka-dānikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक) + dānika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): udakasya dānikam; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kriyāḥ: rites / ceremonies
• kriyāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• anantaram: afterwards / immediately after
• anantaram: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण), indeclinable usage

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tvā (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन) with preverb prati- (प्रति-)

• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Ṛtadhvaja (proper name)
• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtadhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narrator voice; then transition to Ṛtadhvaja speaking

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Ritual duty
• Funerary/transition rites
• Narrative framing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Before speech and decision, ritual order is maintained: grief is integrated into dharma through prescribed actions (udaka-dāna and related kriyās), reflecting the purāṇic ideal of stabilizing the mind via duty.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not pañcalakṣaṇa proper; it is dharma-ācāra (ritual conduct) embedded in narrative, supporting vaṃśānucarita-style storytelling.

What is the esoteric significance?

Water-offering symbolizes release and continuity: the flow of life is ritually acknowledged, allowing the agent to move from emotional paralysis to articulate resolve.