Shloka 54

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

Sanskrit

अस्ति मे वित्तमस्तोके सुकुमारी च मे प्रिया ।

गृहकर्म न शक्नोति कर्तुमस्मात् प्रयच्छ मे ॥

Transliteration

asti me vittam astokaṃ sukumārī ca me priyā | gṛhakarma na śaknoti kartum asmāt prayaccha me ||

Translation

„Ich besitze reichen Wohlstand und zudem meine geliebte, zarte junge Gattin. Sie vermag die Pflichten der Hausarbeit nicht zu erfüllen; darum gewähre mir Hilfe aus dieser Not.“

Speakers

• A worldly householder (lamenting petitioner) speaking within the broader narrative dialogue framework

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Grihastha duties
• Worldly attachment
• Household economics
• Compassion and social support