Shloka 36

Kuvalāśva’s Lineage and Uttaṅka’s Petition concerning Dhundhu (धुन्धु-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

स च राजा तामुपलभ्य तस्यां सुरतगुण-निबद्धह्दयो लोकत्रयैश्वर्यमिवोपलभ्य हर्षण. बाष्प-कलया वाचा प्रणिपत्याभिपूज्य मण्डूकराजमब्रवीद- नुगृहीतो5स्मीति

Transliteration

sa ca rājā tām upalabhya tasyāṃ surataguṇa-nibaddhahṛdayo lokatrayaiśvaryam ivopalabhya harṣaṇ bāṣpa-kalayā vācā praṇipatya abhipūjya maṇḍūkarājam abravīd—anugṛhīto ’smīti

Translation

And that king, having obtained her, with his heart bound by the delights of love, felt as though he had gained the sovereignty of the three worlds. Overjoyed, speaking with a voice choked by a film of tears, he bowed down, honored the king of frogs, and said, “I have been shown favor.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ताम्: her/that (woman)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• उपलभ्य: having obtained/found
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लभ्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• तस्याम्: in her
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सुरतगुणनिबद्धहृदयः: whose heart was bound by the qualities of love/pleasure
• सुरतगुणनिबद्धहृदयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरत-गुण-निबद्ध-हृदय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकत्रयैश्वर्यम्: sovereignty of the three worlds
• लोकत्रयैश्वर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-त्रय-ऐश्वर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उपलभ्य: having obtained/experienced
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लभ्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• हर्षेण: with joy
• हर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बाष्पकलया: with a film/trace of tears
• बाष्पकलया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्प-कला
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वाचा: with (his) voice/words
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-निपत्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• अभिपूज्य: having duly honored/worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-पूज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• मण्डूकराजम्: the frog-king
• मण्डूकराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डूक-राज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अनुगृहीतः: favored/shown grace
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus/quoting
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• the king (rājā)
• maṇḍūkarāja (king of frogs)
• the woman obtained (tām / tasyām)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights gratitude and humility: even a powerful king should acknowledge help received, bow respectfully to a benefactor, and openly confess indebtedness—an ethical norm aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king attains the woman he desired and feels supreme joy, likened to ruling the three worlds. Moved to tears, he bows to and honors the king of frogs, declaring that he has been graciously favored.