Shloka 27

Adhyaya 6 — Balarama’s Dilemma, Drunken Wanderings in Revata’s Grove, and the Slaying of the Suta

Sanskrit

पौराणिकीः सुरर्षोणामाद्यानां चरिताश्रयाः ।

दृष्ट्वा रामं द्विजाः सर्वे मधुपानारुणेक्षणम् ॥

Transliteration

paurāṇikīḥ surarṣoṇām ādyānāṃ caritāśrayāḥ /

dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ dvijāḥ sarve madhupānāruṇekṣaṇam //

Translation

Alle Brahmanen—kundig in puranischer Überlieferung und gegründet in den Taten der uralten göttlichen Rishis—als sie Rāma mit vom Met (Honigwein) geröteten Augen sahen, (reagierten entsprechend).

Word by Word

• पौराणिकीः: Purāṇic (traditional)
• पौराणिकीः: विशेष्य-विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौराणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कथाः understood from context)

• सुर-ऋषीणाम्: of gods and sages
• सुर-ऋषीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (devas and sages)

• आद्यानाम्: of the ancient/primeval
• आद्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सुर-ऋषीणाम्)

• चरित-आश्रयाः: based on (their) deeds/legends
• चरित-आश्रयाः: विशेष्य-विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पौराणिकीः); समासः—तत्पुरुष ("चरितम् आश्रयः" = having deeds as their basis)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजाः: the Brahmins
• द्विजाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying द्विजाः)

• मधु-पान-अरुण-ईक्षणम्: with eyes reddened by drinking mead
• मधु-पान-अरुण-ईक्षणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रामम्); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ("मधुपानात् अरुणे ईक्षणे यस्य" = whose eyes are reddened from drinking mead)

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (Purana narrator continuing the story context; not the Devi Mahatmyam dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Purāṇic tradition and authority (carita-āśraya)
• Kingship and conduct
• Brahminical observation/judgment
• Intoxicants and behavioral implications (madhu-pāna)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds the Brahminical lens of dharma: learned observers, grounded in sacred memory (Purāṇic caritas), evaluate a ruler not only by power but by self-restraint. The detail of reddened eyes from intoxicants signals a potential lapse in rājadharma—suggesting that conduct (especially of leaders) is publicly legible and ethically consequential.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita (dynastic or royal narrative/biographical episode) rather than sarga/pratisarga. It is a characterizing narrative detail embedded in an itihāsa-like account.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, 'reddened eyes' can indicate rajas (passion/impulsion) overpowering sattva (clarity). The 'carita-āśraya' learned class represents smṛti/tradition as an inner witness: when rajas rises (intoxication), the discerning intellect (dvija as symbolic buddhi) recognizes the shift and anticipates consequences in the moral order.