Shloka 193

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

अहं दैवाहिदष्टस्य पुत्रस्य आननपङ्कजम् ।

निरीक्षन्नपि घोरेण विषेणान्धीकृतोऽधुना ॥

Transliteration

ahaṃ daivāhidaṣṭasya putrasyānana-paṅkajam | nirīkṣann api ghoreṇa viṣeṇāndhīkṛto 'dhunā ||

Translation

Obwohl ich das lotosgleiche Antlitz meines Sohnes sah, vom Schicksalsschlangenbiss getroffen, bin ich nun, als wäre ich von jenem furchtbaren Gift geblendet.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दैव-अहि-दष्टस्य: of (my) son bitten by the fated serpent
• दैव-अहि-दष्टस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + अहि (प्रातिपदिक) + दष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दैवेन अहिना दष्टः—करणार्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रस्य)

• पुत्रस्य: of (my) son
• पुत्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• आनन-पङ्कजम्: lotus-like face
• आनन-पङ्कजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पङ्कजमिव आननम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• निरीक्षन्: looking at, beholding
• निरीक्षन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अहम् इत्यस्य)

• अपि: even, although
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/अपवादार्थक (even/also)

• घोरेण: terrible
• घोरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विषेण)

• विषेण: by poison
• विषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अन्धी-कृतः: blinded, made blind
• अन्धी-कृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्धी (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अहम्)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• The King (direct speech)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Helplessness
• Poison as metaphor
• Trauma
• Sorrow-induced blindness

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse expresses the paralysis of witnessing unavoidable suffering. Ethically, it points to the limits of worldly agency: one must cultivate inner clarity and spiritual anchoring, since not all outcomes are controllable.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna; a personal tragedy that serves as a didactic prelude rather than a cosmological account.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Blinded by poison’ is a powerful symbol for moha (delusion) and śoka (grief) clouding buddhi (discernment). The later Purāṇic remedy is typically jñāna and/or devotion (bhakti) that restores sight—inner vision.