Shloka 16

The Slaying of Madhu

Establishment of the Name ‘Madhusūdana’

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे दूरे मधुर्मायां प्रयोजिता । हररूपधरो भूत्वा अब्रवीद्धरिमव्ययम्

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare dūre madhurmāyāṃ prayojitā | hararūpadharo bhūtvā abravīddharimavyayam

Translation

ಇಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ದೂರದ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಧು ಮಾಯೆಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರಯೋಗಿಸಿದನು; ಹರ (ಶಿವ)ರೂಪವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿ ಅವ್ಯಯನಾದ ಹರಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾತಾಡಿದನು।

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• अन्तरे: in the interval / meanwhile
• अन्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• दूरे: far away
• दूरे: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage (अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणवत्), adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• मधुः: Madhu (name)
• मधुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• मायाम्: illusion, magic
• मायाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रयोजिता: was employed / was applied
• प्रयोजिता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘māyā’ understood as ‘māyā (was) employed’

• हररूपधरः: bearing the form of Hara (Shiva)
• हररूपधरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष ‘harasya rūpaṃ dharati’ (one who bears Hara’s form)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having become’

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• हरिम्: to Hari / Hari (as object)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘harim’

Speaker

Madhu (disguised as Hara/Śiva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: एतस्मिन्नंतरे = एतस्मिन् + अन्तरे; मधुर्मायां = मधुः + मायाम्; हररूपधरो = हररूपधरः; अब्रवीद्धरिमव्ययम् = अब्रवीत् + हरिम् + अव्ययम्.

Characters & Entities

• Madhu
• Hara (Shiva)
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the main event described in this verse?

Madhu activates māyā (illusion), assumes the form of Hara (Śiva), and addresses Hari (Viṣṇu).

Why is Hari called 'avyaya' here?

‘Avyaya’ means imperishable/unchanging, a common epithet for Viṣṇu emphasizing his eternal, undecaying nature.

What ethical or spiritual lesson can be drawn from Madhu using māyā?

The verse highlights how appearances can be manipulated; discernment (viveka) is necessary so that one is not misled by deceptive forms, even when they resemble revered figures.