Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अन्त:पुरगतं वत्सं श्रुत्वा रामेण निर्ह्वतम्‌ । धर्षणारोषसंविग्ना: कार्तवीर्यसुता हता:

Transliteration

antaḥpuragataṁ vatsaṁ śrutvā rāmeṇa nirhṛtam | dharṣaṇāroṣasaṁvignāḥ kārtavīryasutā hatāḥ ||

Translation

Hearing that the calf—taken away by Rāma—had been carried into the royal inner apartments, the sons of Kārtavīrya, shaken and inflamed with humiliating anger, were slain.

Word by Word

• अन्तःपुरगतं: gone into the inner palace; placed in the harem/inner apartments
• अन्तःपुरगतं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तःपुर-गत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वत्सं: calf
• वत्सं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• रामेण: by Rama (Parashurama)
• रामेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निर्हृतम्: carried off; taken away
• निर्हृतम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-हृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्षण: by insult/affront
• धर्षण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्षण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रोष: by anger
• रोष: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संविग्नाः: agitated; distressed
• संविग्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√विज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कार्तवीर्य: of Kartavirya
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तवीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हताः: were slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नाग उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• Kārtavīrya
• sons of Kārtavīrya
• antaḥpura (inner palace)
• vatsa (calf)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how humiliation and uncontrolled wrath can rapidly escalate into lethal violence, underscoring the ethical danger of acting from roṣa (anger) rather than dharma-guided restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

A calf is reported to have been taken and placed within the royal inner quarters; upon hearing this affront, the sons of Kārtavīrya become agitated with insulting anger, and they are killed by Rāma (Paraśurāma).