Shloka 16

Adhyaya 21 — Kuvalayashva’s Descent to Patala and the Rescue of Madalasa

Sanskrit

ततोऽपश्यत् सुविस्तीर्णे पर्यङ्के सर्वकाञ्चने ।

निषण्णां कन्याकामेकां कामयुक्तां रतीमिव ॥

Transliteration

tato 'paśyat suvistīrṇe paryaṅke sarvakāñcane / niṣaṇṇāṃ kanyakām ekāṃ kāmayuktāṃ ratīm iva

Translation

Lalu ia melihat—di atas dipan luas yang seluruhnya dari emas, duduk seorang gadis tunggal, dipenuhi hasrat, laksana Rati sendiri.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) / Kāla-avyaya (कालवाचक-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable); तस्मात्/ततः = 'thereupon/then' (adverb)

• apaśyat: he saw
• apaśyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• suvistīrṇe: in/ on the very spacious (one)
• suvistīrṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-vistīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• paryaṅke: on the couch/bed
• paryaṅke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paryaṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन

• sarvakāñcane: (made) entirely of gold
• sarvakāñcane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• niṣaṇṇām: seated
• niṣaṇṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-ṣad (धातु) + niṣaṇṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः 'seated'

• kanyakām: a maiden
• kanyakām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• ekām: one, a single
• ekām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• kāmayuktām: endowed with desire/passionate
• kāmayuktām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma-yukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ratīm: Rati (goddess of love)
• ratīm: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Upamā (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison)

Speakers

• Narrative (third-person description within the story; specific frame-speakers not identifiable from these verses alone)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shringara", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Rati (allusion)
• Kāma (allusion)

Key Themes

• Courtly description
• Aesthetic imagery (śṛṅgāra)
• Desire (kāma)
• Perception and attraction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds the power of sensory perception (rūpa-darśana) to stir desire. In Purāṇic narratives this often sets up a later contrast between fascination and discernment (viveka), showing how quickly the mind can be captivated by appearances.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Itivṛtta/Ākhyāna (narrative episode) rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita. It supports the Purāṇic function of moral-psychological illustration through story.

What is the esoteric significance?

The golden couch and the figure likened to Rati can symbolize the mind’s enthronement of desire—kāma seated in the heart—hinting that what appears ‘divine’ may be a projection of inner longing.