Shloka 165

The Origin of the Daṇḍaka Forest and Rāma’s Dharma-Judgment

Vulture vs. Owl

Devanagari script

निवृत्ते राजशार्दूल सर्वे नष्टा जलेचराः । हरिश्चंद्रस्य यज्ञांते राजसूयस्य राघव

Transliteration

nivṛtte rājaśārdūla sarve naṣṭā jalecarāḥ | hariścaṃdrasya yajñāṃte rājasūyasya rāghava

Translation

Ketika semuanya berakhir, wahai harimau di antara para raja, seluruh makhluk air telah lenyap. Wahai Rāghava, pada akhir yajña Rājasūya Raja Hariścandra—

Word by Word

• निवृत्ते: when (it was) ended/ceased
• निवृत्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√वृत् (धातु) → निवृत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/locative), एकवचन; 'निवृत्ते (सति)'—locative absolute sense

• राज-शार्दूल: O tiger among kings
• राज-शार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'राजा एव शार्दूलः'

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (for जलेचराः)

• नष्टाः: destroyed/perished
• नष्टाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु) → नष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• जलेचराः: water-dwellers
• जलेचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'जले चरन्ति'

• हरिश्चन्द्रस्य: of Hariścandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• यज्ञ-अन्ते: at the end of the sacrifice
• यज्ञ-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'यज्ञस्य अन्ते'

• राजसूयस्य: of the Rājasūya (sacrifice)
• राजसूयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• राघव: O Rāghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Uncertain from single-verse context (requires surrounding verses); addressed to a royal figure ('rājaśārdūla', 'rāghava').

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यज्ञांते = यज्ञ + अन्ते (अ + अ = आ); हरिश्चंद्रस्य = हरिश्चन्द्रस्य (अनुस्वार/चन्द्रबिन्दु-भेद लेखन).

Characters & Entities

• Hariścandra
• Rājasūya
• Rāghava

FAQs

Who is Hariścandra mentioned in this verse?

Hariścandra is a famed righteous king in Indian tradition, celebrated for truthfulness and adherence to dharma; this verse alludes to his performance of a Rājasūya sacrifice.

What is the Rājasūya sacrifice referenced here?

Rājasūya is a major Vedic royal consecration sacrifice associated with imperial sovereignty; the verse situates an event as occurring at its conclusion.

Why are terms like 'rājaśārdūla' and 'rāghava' used?

They are honorific epithets: 'rājaśārdūla' praises the listener as a foremost king, while 'rāghava' identifies or addresses a descendant of Raghu (often Rāma), signaling a royal addressee within a narrative dialogue.