Shloka 35

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

पितोवाच पथापि श्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्य यत् कार्यमुत्तमम् ।

असाध्यमथवा साध्यं किं वासाध्यं विपश्चिताम् ॥

Transliteration

pitovāca pathāpi śrotum icchāmi tasya yat kāryam uttamam | asādhyam athavā sādhyaṃ kiṃ vā sādhyam vipaścitām ||

Translation

父は言った。「道中であっても聞きたい。彼の最高の企てとは何か—それは不可能なのか可能なのか。また、識別ある者にとって真に成就し得るものは何か。」

Word by Word

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पथा: by the way / incidentally
• पथा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; adverbial-instrumental usage

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुन्-अन्त (infinitive); ‘to hear’

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्य: of that/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• कार्यम्: task, thing to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: best, highest
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative adjective

• असाध्यम्: impossible
• असाध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• साध्यम्: achievable
• साध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प/समुच्चय (or/indeed)

• असाध्यम्: impossible
• असाध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विपश्चिताम्: of the wise/discerning
• विपश्चिताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Father (pitā) speaking; interlocutors include ‘sons’ later (20.41).

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Inquiry
• Dharma deliberation
• Practical wisdom
• Agency

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A model of dharmic inquiry: before acting, one asks what is truly ‘uttama’ (highest) and whether it is feasible. Wisdom is framed as discerning what can be accomplished and aligning effort accordingly.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dialogue; not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘journey’ (pathā) can be read inwardly: even amid life’s motion, one should seek instruction on the supreme aim—suggesting that spiritual prioritization is not postponed until leisure.