Mahabharata 1.173.9 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 173, Shloka 9

कल्माषपाद-शाप-कारणम्

Cause of Kalmāṣapāda’s Niyoga under a Curse

Devanagari script

वारिणा च सुशीतेन शिरस्तस्याभ्यषेचयत्‌ । अस्फुटन्मुकुटं राज्ञ: पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना

Transliteration

vāriṇā ca suśītena śirastasya abhyasecayat | asphuṭan mukuṭaṁ rājñaḥ puṇḍarīka-sugandhinā |

Translation

Dijo el Gandharva: «Le roció la cabeza al rey con agua muy fría, perfumada con fragancia de loto. La diadema del rey no estaba agrietada ni hecha añicos—señal de que no había sido herido en la batalla».

Word by Word

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सुशीतेन: very cool/cold
• सुशीतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुशीत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/of that (king)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभ्यषेचयत्: sprinkled/bathed (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्फुटत्: did not break/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्फुट्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Negative (with implied न)

• मुकुटम्: crown
• मुकुटम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना: with lotus-fragrance
• पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीक-सुगन्धिन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गन्धर्व (Gandharva, speaker)
• राजा (the king)
• मुकुट (diadem/crown)
• वारि (cool water)
• पुण्डरीक (lotus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights attentive observation and inference: outward signs (an unbroken crown) can indicate the absence of serious harm, and proper care (cool, lotus-scented water) reflects respectful service to a ruler.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Gandharva narrates that someone anoints/sprinkles the king’s head with cool, lotus-fragrant water; the king’s diadem remains unbroken, suggesting he was not injured in battle.