Shloka 33

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

अहो कष्टं यदस्माभैः पूर्वं राज्यमनुष्ठितम् ।

इति पश्चान्मया ज्ञातं योगान्नास्ति परं सुखम् ॥

Transliteration

aho kaṣṭaṃ yad asmābhaiḥ pūrvaṃ rājyam anuṣṭhitam | iti paścān mayā jñātaṃ yogān nāsti paraṃ sukham ||

Translation

«¡Ay, cuán doloroso es que antaño ejerciera la realeza!» Así comprendí después: no hay dicha más alta que el yoga.

Word by Word

• aho: alas!
• aho: Bhāva (भाव/utterance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/खेदबोधक अव्यय (interjection)

• kaṣṭam: misery/hardship
• kaṣṭam: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/statement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; here exclamatory predicate

• yat: that (which)
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (relative particle ‘that/which’) introducing clause

• asmābhiḥ: by us
• asmābhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental/agent)

• pūrvam: formerly/before
• pūrvam: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• rājyam: kingship/kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• anuṣṭhitam: was undertaken/performed
• anuṣṭhitam: Kriyā (क्रिया as predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + sthā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; here with rājyam: ‘rājyam anuṣṭhitam’ (performed)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया एकवचन

• jñātam: was known/realized
• jñātam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; impersonal sense ‘it was known/realized’

• yogāt: from/through yoga
• yogāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative: ‘from/through yoga’)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधबोधक अव्यय (negation)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• param: higher/supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (to sukham)

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karta (कर्ता as subject of asti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

Speakers

• Alarka (through his gāthā)
• introduced by narrator

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Vairāgya (dispassion)
• Limits of political power
• Yoga as highest sukha
• Retrospective wisdom

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Worldly authority, even when dharmically exercised, cannot match the peace born of inner discipline. The verse encourages prioritizing spiritual practice over endless external striving.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A moral-psychological teaching embedded in royal narrative (‘vaṃśānucarita’), serving dharma and mokṣa instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Yoga’ here is the inward union that dissolves the ruler/ruled duality within; ‘supreme happiness’ points to ānanda independent of circumstances.