Shloka 20

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

राजोवाच यद्येषा नोपभोगाय नाहाराय निशाचर ।

गृहं प्रविश्य विप्रस्य तत्किमेषा हृता त्वया ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca yady eṣā nopabhogāya nāhārāya niśācara | gṛhaṃ praviśya viprasya tat kim eṣā hṛtā tvayā ||

Translation

Der König sprach: „Wenn sie weder zum Genuss noch zur Speise ist, o Nachtwandler, warum hast du sie dann—nachdem du in das Haus eines Brāhmaṇa eingedrungen bist—fortgeführt?“

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-अव्यय)

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• upabhogāya: for enjoyment
• upabhogāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upabhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: nor/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• āhārāya: for food
• āhārāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• niśācara: O night-roamer (rākṣasa)
• niśācara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म/Object; goal entered)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + viś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), action prior to main verb

• viprasya: of the brāhmaṇa
• viprasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: then/that being so
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Inference marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Correlative particle (तत् as discourse marker = 'then/that being so')

• kim: why? / what (then)?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• hṛtā: was taken/abducted
• hṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) used predicatively; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• King to the Rākṣasa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Royal duty to question adharma
• Protection of brāhmaṇas
• Motive inquiry

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Rājadharma includes investigation, not mere punishment: the king demands motive, reflecting the ideal of protecting vulnerable households and ritual order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-centered narrative (upākhyāna) illustrating rājadharma and social protection.

What is the esoteric significance?

The king’s question represents viveka (discernment): seeing beyond surface claims (not food/sex) to subtler sabotage of dharma.