Shloka 114

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

Sanskrit

अग्नेश्चटचटाशब्दो वयसामस्थिपङ्क्तिषु ।

बान्धवाक्रन्दशब्दश्च पुक्कसेषु प्रहर्षजः ॥

Transliteration

agneś caṭacaṭā-śabdo vayasām asthi-paṅktiṣu /

bāndhavākranda-śabdaś ca pukkaseṣu praharṣajaḥ

Translation

There was the crackling of fire amid rows of bones where vultures gathered; and among the outcaste pukkasas there arose a sound like the wailing of kinsmen—yet born of ghastly delight.

Word by Word

• अग्नेः: of fire
• अग्नेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी); एकवचन — Genitive singular

• चटचटाशब्दः: the crackling sound
• चटचटाशब्दः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चटचटा (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चटचटायाः शब्दः)

• वयसाम्: of birds
• वयसाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी); बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• अस्थिपङ्क्तिषु: in rows of bones
• अस्थिपङ्क्तिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी); बहुवचन — Locative plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अस्थीनां पङ्क्तयः)

• बान्धवाक्रन्दशब्दः: the sound of kinsmen’s wailing
• बान्धवाक्रन्दशब्दः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्रन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बान्धवानाम् आक्रन्दस्य शब्दः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुक्कसेषु: among the pukkasas (outcastes)
• पुक्कसेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुक्कस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी); बहुवचन — Locative plural

• प्रहर्षजः: born of joy; exultant
• प्रहर्षजः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (प्रहर्षात्/प्रहर्षस्य जातः)

Speakers

• Narratorial description (frame narrator not specified in input)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Śmaśāna imagery
• Auspicious/inauspicious omens
• Fear and liminality
• Death-grounds in Purāṇic narrative

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse intensifies vairāgya (dispassion) through śmaśāna-darśana: worldly identity and social order collapse in the face of death; fear and fascination arise together, warning against attachment and heedlessness.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily narrative embellishment rather than a direct pañcalakṣaṇa unit; it supports later dharma/itihāsa-style instruction by setting a stark moral atmosphere (closest to vaṃśānucarita/ākhyāna usage).

What is the esoteric significance?

Śmaśāna symbolizes the threshold where ordinary norms dissolve; the ‘wailing’ that is actually ‘delight-born’ points to inverted consciousness—tamasic beings revel where sattvic minds recoil.