Shloka 21

शिवधनुर्न्यासकथा तथा सीतोत्पत्तिविवाहशुल्क-निश्चयः

The Bow of Śiva: Its Deposit, Sītā’s Origin, and the Prowess-Brideprice Vow

Devanagari script

आत्मानमवधूतं ते विज्ञाय नृपपुङ्गवा:।रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टा: पीडयन्मिथिलां पुरीम्।।1.66.21।।

Transliteration

ātmānam avadhūtaṁ te vijñāya nṛpapuṅgavāḥ | roṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭāḥ pīḍayan mithilāṁ purīm || 1.66.21 ||

Translation

પોતાને અપમાનિત થયેલા જાણીને તે નૃપપુંગવો મહાન રોષથી આવિષ્ટ થયા અને મિથિલા નગરીને પીડાવા લાગ્યા.

Word by Word

• ātmānam: themselves
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; reflexive noun used for 'themselves'

• avadhūtam: insulted
• avadhūtam: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-√dhū (धू धातु)
• Form: Kta, Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'shaken off/treated with contempt/insulted' qualifies ātmānam

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; pronoun

• vijñāya: having realized
• vijñāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (absolutive), avyaya; 'having understood'

• nṛpa-puṅgavāḥ: eminent kings
• nṛpa-puṅgavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to te)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'best of kings'

• roṣeṇa: with anger
• roṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण; means/state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• mahatā: great
• mahatā: Karaṇa (करण; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies roṣeṇa

• āviṣṭāḥ: overcome (by)
• āviṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√viś (विश् धातु)
• Form: Kta, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'possessed/overcome'

• pīḍayan: tormenting
• pīḍayan: Karta (कर्ता; attendant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pīḍ (पीड् धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ (present active participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agrees with te/nṛpapuṅgavāḥ

• mithilām: Mithilā
• mithilām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; in apposition to mithilām

Context

Then those wicked kings who were exhausted were doubtful about their energy. They were beaten and defeated. They fled away along with their ministers in different directions.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra
• Mithilā
• Kings (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

True kṣatriya-dharma requires self-mastery: feeling dishonored does not justify harming innocents or attacking a city.

What is the narrative situation?

The besieging kings intensify their hostility, turning their anger into direct oppression of Mithilā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s responsibility as guardian of subjects is highlighted indirectly—oppression of the people becomes the moral fault of the aggressors.