Shloka 3

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

दृष्ट्वा महीं सनगरां साम्भोनिधिसरिद्वराम् ।

रथचक्रप्रमाणां ते पुनराश्रममागताः ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā mahīṃ sa-nagarāṃ sāmbhonidhi-saridvarām | ratha-cakra-pramāṇāṃ te punar āśramam āgatāḥ ||

Translation

Setelah menyaksikan bumi beserta kota-kotanya, yang dihiasi samudra dan sungai-sungai utama, mereka seakan mengukurnya dengan bentang roda kereta, lalu kembali lagi ke pertapaan.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स-नगराम्: with its cities
• स-नगराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग-सदृश/सह) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (with towns), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• स-अम्भोनिधि-सरित्-वराम्: with oceans and excellent rivers
• स-अम्भोनिधि-सरित्-वराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सह) + अम्भोनिधि + सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (with ...), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• रथ-चक्र-प्रमाणाम्: (as large) as a chariot-wheel in measure
• रथ-चक्र-प्रमाणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ + चक्र + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (measure: 'of chariot-wheel size'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• आश्रमम्: to the hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगताः: returned/came
• आगताः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used as past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (as 'having come')

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the frame-story context (associated with Jaimini and the Dharmapakshis’ account in early chapters)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Sacred geography
• Cosmic scale and measurement
• Hermitage/ashrama setting

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes disciplined observation and returning to the seat of inquiry (āśrama). Knowledge-gathering—seeing the world’s breadth (cities, oceans, rivers)—is framed as purposeful and contained, culminating in a return to contemplation rather than wandering for its own sake.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita. It functions as connective narrative and descriptive geography that often accompanies Purāṇic exposition, serving as a frame-device rather than a core pañcalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Measuring the earth by a chariot-wheel’ suggests compressing vast experience into a graspable unit—symbolically, the mind’s capacity to circumscribe the world through a single pramāṇa (measure). The return to the āśrama indicates reintegration: outer perception must culminate in inner assimilation.