Shloka 4

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

तस्य पालयतः सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान् ।

बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तथा ॥

Transliteration

tasya pālayataḥ samyak prajāḥ putrān ivaurasān |

babhūvuḥ śatravo bhūpāḥ kolā-vidhvaṃsinas tathā ||

Translation

Alors qu’il protégeait ses sujets comme il se doit, tels ses propres fils légitimes, des rois ennemis surgirent—destructeurs des Kolas eux aussi.

Word by Word

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; pronoun

• pālayataḥ: while he was protecting
• pālayataḥ: Kāla/Hetu-sambandha (काल/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pālaya (पालय, causative stem) from pāl (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; 'while protecting/of (one) protecting'

• samyak: properly, well
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• prajāḥ: the subjects/people
• prajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• putrān: sons
• putrān: Upamāna (उपमान) with iva
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile particle (उपमा-निपात)

• aurasān: own, legitimate (born of the body)
• aurasān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aurasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; agrees with putrān

• babhūvuḥ: became/were
• babhūvuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• śatravaḥ: enemies
• śatravaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied 'became')
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• bhūpāḥ: kings
• bhūpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; in apposition to śatravaḥ

• kolā-vidhvaṃsinaḥ: destroyers of the Kolā(s)
• kolā-vidhvaṃsinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhūpāḥ/śatravaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kolā (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhvaṃsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'destroyers of Kolā(s)' (kolā = a people/tribe or name)

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya/Emphasis (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb/particle (क्रियाविशेषण/निपात)

Speakers

• Narrator within the Devi Mahatmyam frame

Key Themes

• Fragility of political order
• Rise of hostility despite good governance
• Historical-ethnographic note (Kolas)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Righteous conduct does not guarantee absence of external conflict; dharma is to protect and act rightly even when opposition arises.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara/vaṃśānucarita (dynastic accounts): it continues the manvantara-situated royal narrative, typical of purāṇic genealogical storytelling.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Enemies arising’ reflects the surfacing of inner vāsanās (latent tendencies) even when one’s life seems well-ordered; the story prepares for the teaching on Mahāmāyā.