Shloka 25

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

वैकल्यमेवं विप्रस्य वदन्मामेव निन्दति ।

अनर्हमर्घस्य च मां सोऽप्याह मुनिसत्तमः ॥

Transliteration

vaikalyam evaṃ viprasya vadan mām eva nindati | anarham arghasya ca māṃ so 'py āha munisattamaḥ ||

Translation

«En parlant ainsi de l’atteinte du brāhmaṇa, il va jusqu’à me blâmer ; et ce meilleur des sages a aussi déclaré que je n’étais pas digne de l’argha, l’offrande d’honneur.»

Word by Word

• वैकल्यम्: defect/impairment
• वैकल्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/in this manner')

• विप्रस्य: of the brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वदन्: saying/speaking
• वदन्: Karta (कर्ता; participial agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भाव (while saying)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle of emphasis: 'indeed/just')

• निन्दति: blames/censures
• निन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अनर्हम्: unworthy
• अनर्हम्: Karma (कर्म; predicate-object complement with āha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अर्घस्य: of honor/value (arghya)
• अर्घस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आह = परोक्षभूत/लिट्-रूप)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition with सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थ: 'best among sages'

Speakers

• Narrator voice (context suggests Mārkaṇḍeya continuing the account); the brāhmaṇa is referenced as speaking/blaming

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Blame and misunderstanding
• Honor (argha) and worthiness
• Human reaction under suffering

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Suffering can distort judgment, leading even the virtuous to misplace blame and withhold honor. The teaching is to maintain discernment and restraint in speech, especially amid grief.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical narrative (upākhyāna) illustrating human frailty and the social dynamics of honor; not a cosmological/genealogical unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

Withholding argha symbolizes a break in the sacred economy of respect and reciprocity; when reverence collapses, the flow of dharmic ‘merit’ is obstructed—mirroring the rākṣasa’s attack on sukṛta.