Shloka 82

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

Sanskrit

कृष्णो लम्बोदरः पिङ्गरूक्षाक्षः परुषाक्षरः ।

गृहीतपक्षिपुञ्जश्च शवमाल्यैरलङ्कृतः ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇo lambodaraḥ piṅgarūkṣākṣaḥ paruṣākṣaraḥ /

gṛhītapakṣipuñjaś ca śavamālyair alaṅkṛtaḥ

Translation

Schwarz von Farbe, mit vorgewölbtem Bauch, mit gelblich-braunen, harten Augen und rauer, kratzender Stimme—er hielt ein Bündel von Vögeln und war mit Leichengirlanden geschmückt.

Word by Word

• kṛṣṇaḥ: black/dark
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• lamba-udaraḥ: pot-bellied; with a hanging belly
• lamba-udaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lamba (लम्ब प्रातिपदिक) + udara (उदर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• piṅga-rūkṣa-akṣaḥ: with tawny, rough eyes
• piṅga-rūkṣa-akṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṅga (पिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक) + rūkṣa (रूक्ष प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (अक्ष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'having tawny and rough eyes'

• paruṣa-akṣaraḥ: harsh in speech
• paruṣa-akṣaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paruṣa (परुष प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (अक्षर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'harsh-syllabled/harsh-speaking'

• gṛhīta-pakṣi-puñjaḥ: holding a bundle of birds
• gṛhīta-pakṣi-puñjaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛhīta (ग्रह् धातु से क्त ‘seized/held’) + pakṣi (पक्षि प्रातिपदिक) + puñja (पुञ्ज प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'holding a bundle of birds'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śava-mālyaiḥ: with corpse-garlands
• śava-mālyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śava (शव प्रातिपदिक) + mālya (माल्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 'with garlands of corpses'

• alaṅkṛtaḥ: adorned
• alaṅkṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaṃ + kṛ (कृ धातु) + alaṅkṛta (क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle used adjectivally

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam frame (traditional recitation to the listener; commonly framed as Markandeya’s account to a royal/questing listener in Purana transmission)

Primary Deities

• Chandika (Durga)

Shakti Aspects

• Chandika / Durga (battle context; not directly named in this verse but governing the episode)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Battle iconography
• Demonic nature (asuric traits)
• Fearsome descriptions (raudra-rasa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse typifies the asuric disposition through outward signs—cruelty (holding living creatures), delight in death (corpse-garlands), and harsh speech. In Puranic ethics, such imagery warns that inner tamas and हिंसा (violence) manifest as deformity of conduct and perception, contrasting with the Goddess’s role as the restorer of ṛta (cosmic order).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This belongs primarily to Vaṃśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of deeds and episodes), rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa proper. Within the Markandeya Purana’s composition, it functions as part of the Devi Mahatmyam’s episodic katha describing the conflict that re-establishes dharma.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘corpse-garlands’ and predatory grasp symbolize tamasic consciousness that feeds on decay and fear; ‘harsh eyes’ and ‘harsh syllables’ indicate perception and speech corrupted by rajas-tamas. In Devi Mahatmyam’s inner reading, such figures represent obstructive tendencies (vighnas) that the awakened Shakti (Chandika) subdues so that sattva and right order can prevail.