Shloka 199

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

Sanskrit

श्वपाकार्हमतो मोहं जगामायतलोचना ।

प्राप्य चेतश्च शनकैः सगद्गदमभाषत ॥

Transliteration

śvapākārham ato mohaṃ jagāmāyata-locanā |

prāpya cetaś ca śanakaiḥ sa-gadgadam abhāṣata ||

Translation

Por ello, la dama de ojos grandes cayó en desconcierto al ver que él parecía destinado a la suerte de un caṇḍāla. Recobrando poco a poco el sentido, habló con la voz ahogada.

Word by Word

• śvapāka-arham: fit for a dog-cooker (outcaste)
• śvapāka-arham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śvapāka (प्रातिपदिक) + arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (śvapākasya arham)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; causal particle (हेतु-अव्यय) = 'therefore/from that'

• moham: delusion, swoon
• moham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• jagāma: went into, fell into
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Parasmaipada; Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyata-locanā: the long-eyed woman
• āyata-locanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक) + locanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय-समास (āyatāni locanāni yasyāḥ / āyata-locanā)

• prāpya: having regained/obtained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having obtained'

• cetaḥ: consciousness, mind
• cetaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (also possible as Nominative; here object of prāpya)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• śanakaiḥ: slowly
• śanakaiḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaka (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: Adverbial instrumental plural used as avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'slowly, gently'

• sa-gadgadam: stammeringly
• sa-gadgadam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + gadgada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; adverbial accusative = 'with a stammering voice'

• abhāṣata: she spoke
• abhāṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Ātmanepada; Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

Speakers

• Narrative voice (queen’s reaction leading into her speech)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Moha (bewilderment)
• Speech hindered by grief
• Perceived pollution and social stigma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Moha arises when the mind cannot reconcile past glory with present suffering; the text shows the gradual reassembly of composure before moral protest and lament can be voiced.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative ethics (dharma-through-story), not a pañcalakṣaṇa passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Regaining cetaḥ slowly’ mirrors inner sādhanā: clarity returns stepwise after shock; speech (vāk) follows the restoration of inner order.