Shloka 63

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

यदा तु स नृपस्तानि द्वाराण्यावृत्य तिष्ठति ।

सदा सुस्थबलश्चैव निरातङ्कश्च जायते ॥

Transliteration

yadā tu sa nṛpas tāni dvārāṇy āvṛtya tiṣṭhati /

sadā susthabalaś caiva nirātaṅkaś ca jāyate //

Translation

Doch wenn jener König, nachdem er jene Tore gesichert (geschlossen/bewacht) hat, sich fest aufstellt, wird er stets gesund und stark und gelangt zur Freiheit von Gefahr und Unruhe.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal conjunction/adverb)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तानि: those (things)
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• द्वाराणि: gates/doors
• द्वाराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• आवृत्य: having closed
• आवृत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having covered/closed’

• तिष्ठति: stands/abides
• तिष्ठति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √स्था (to stand/abide)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सुस्थ-बलः: healthy and strong
• सुस्थ-बलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; विशेषण (नृपः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• निरातङ्कः: free from affliction/disease
• निरातङ्कः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरातङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• जायते: becomes/arises
• जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; √जन् (to be born/become)

Speakers

• Didactic narrator within the Markandeya Purana’s early instructional material (not Devi Mahatmyam); specific speaker varies by recension/context

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Nīti (statecraft/ethics)
• Security and welfare
• Karmic consequence of right governance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse ties a ruler’s personal well-being to vigilant guardianship of the realm: when the king ensures protection at the points of entry (symbolically and practically), he gains stability—health, strength, and freedom from turmoil. Ethically, it teaches that governance is not merely authority but disciplined responsibility; public security is a dharmic duty that rebounds as the ruler’s own peace.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is not primarily Sarga (creation), Pratisarga, Vaṁśa, Manvantara, or Vaṁśānucarita. It functions as ancillary dharma/nīti instruction embedded within the Purāṇic narrative framework—an upadeśa (didactic passage) rather than a core pañcalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Gates’ (dvāra) can be read as thresholds of vulnerability—both in a kingdom and within the self (sense-gates, access points of distraction). ‘Securing the gates’ implies restraint, vigilance, and boundary-keeping; from that arises ‘nirātaṅka’ (freedom from inner/outer agitation). The king thus becomes an emblem of the governing intellect that protects the city of the body/mind.