Shloka 84

Aśokasundarī and Huṇḍa: Chastity, Karma, and the Foretold Rise of Nahuṣa

Devanagari script

सिंहस्य संमुखं गत्वा क्रुद्धस्य गर्जितस्य च । को लुनाति मुखात्केशान्साहसाकारसंयुतः

Transliteration

siṃhasya saṃmukhaṃ gatvā kruddhasya garjitasya ca | ko lunāti mukhātkeśānsāhasākārasaṃyutaḥ

Translation

Qui donc, s’avançant face à un lion furieux et rugissant, oserait—par pure témérité—lui arracher des poils de la gueule ?

Word by Word

• सिंहस्य: of a lion
• सिंहस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• संमुखम्: to the front/presence
• संमुखम्: दिक्/अधिकरण (Directional adjunct)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular used adverbially (direction)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having gone'

• क्रुद्धस्य: of the enraged
• क्रुद्धस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √क्रुध् से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन; Past participle used adjectivally: 'of the angry (lion)'

• गर्जितस्य: of the roaring
• गर्जितस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; √गर्ज् से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन; Past participle used adjectivally: 'of the roaring (lion)'

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कः: who
• कः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Interrogative pronoun, nominative singular

• लुनाति: cuts/plucks
• लुनाति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लू (धातु) (छेदने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुखात्: from the mouth
• मुखात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative; source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular

• केशान्: hairs (mane)
• केशान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• साहसाकारसंयुतः: endowed with rashness
• साहसाकारसंयुतः: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस + आकार + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective to 'कः'; समास: साहस + आकार (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय sense: 'form of rashness') + संयुत (√युज् क्त) → तत्पुरुष: 'endowed with a rash disposition'

Speaker

Unspecified (context needed to attribute within the Adhyaya’s dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मुखात्केशान् = मुखात् + केशान्; केशान्साहसाकारसंयुतः = केशान् + साहसाकारसंयुतः.

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this verse?

It warns against foolhardy, self-destructive bravado—provoking a powerful danger directly and unnecessarily.

Why does the verse use the image of plucking hair from a lion’s mouth?

It is an extreme metaphor for reckless provocation: approaching a threat at its most dangerous point and inviting harm through needless daring.

How can this be applied ethically in daily life?

It encourages discretion and humility—avoid antagonizing volatile people or situations, and choose wise, non-provocative actions over ego-driven risk.