Shloka 21
Śatrughna’s Entry into Ahicchatrā
Temptation of Sumada and the Goddess’s Boon
शिरसा बहुशो नत्वा मातरं भक्तिभाविताम् । हसंतीं निजदेहेषु स्पृशंतीं पाणिना मुहुः
śirasā bahuśo natvā mātaraṃ bhaktibhāvitām | hasaṃtīṃ nijadeheṣu spṛśaṃtīṃ pāṇinā muhuḥ
Bowing again and again with their heads to their Mother, filled with devotion, they repeatedly touched their own bodies with their hands as she smiled.
Narrator (contextual; specific dialogue-speaker not explicit in this single verse excerpt)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major external sandhi beyond standard phonetic coalescence; participles (हसन्तीम्, स्पृशन्तीम्) qualify मातरम् in accusative singular feminine.
FAQs
It emphasizes reverent bhakti expressed through repeated bowing (praṇāma) to the mother and attentive, repeated gestures performed in her presence.
The phrase suggests repeated, deliberate gestures of humility and self-awareness—an embodied expression of devotion and respect while the mother smiles approvingly.
It models gratitude and reverence toward one’s mother/elder, showing that devotion is not only internal but also demonstrated through respectful conduct.