Shloka 2

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

Sanskrit

यथाख्यातस्वरूपां च भार्यां भर्त्रा द्विजस्य ताम् । भक्षयन्तीं ददर्शाथ श्रीफलानि नरेश्वरः ॥

Transliteration

yathākhyātasvarūpāṃ ca bhāryāṃ bhartrā dvijasya tām / bhakṣayantīṃ dadarśātha śrīphalāni nareśvaraḥ

Translation

And the king then saw that Brahmin’s wife—just as she had been described—eating śrīphala fruits.

Word by Word

• yathā-ākhyāta-svarūpām: having the form as described
• yathā-ākhyāta-svarūpām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā + ākhyāta + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: yathā ākhyātaṃ svarūpaṃ yasyāḥ sā (as-described form)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bhartrā: by the husband
• bhartrā: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु; source of description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• dvijasya: of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• dvijasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possession)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• tām: that (woman)
• tām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun referring to bhāryām

• bhakṣayantīm: eating
• bhakṣayantīm: Karma (कर्म; object seen)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agreeing with bhāryām

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; sequence particle

• śrī-phalāni: śrī-fruits
• śrī-phalāni: Karma (कर्म; object being eaten)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; karmadhāraya: śrī-phala (a kind of fruit; often bilva/wood-apple or auspicious fruit)

• nara-īśvaraḥ: the king
• nara-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: narāṇām īśvaraḥ

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating

Key Themes

• Recognition by description
• Forest setting
• Rescue preparation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Truthful guidance bears verifiable results: the seer’s words lead the king to direct perception and thus to effective protection.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara: narrative detail within a time-cycle; not cosmogenesis, but dharma-through-itihāsa style instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

The woman’s simple act of eating fruit underscores survival in adversity; dharma’s restoration begins with locating and acknowledging the harmed person’s lived reality.