Shloka 30

Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)

Devanagari script

संकोच्याग्रकरान्‌ भीता: प्रद्रवन्ति सम वेगिता: । शकृन्मूत्रं सृजन्तश्च क्षरन्तः शोणितं बहु

Transliteration

saṅkocyāgrakarān bhītāḥ pradravanti sama-vegītāḥ | śakṛn-mūtraṃ sṛjantaś ca kṣarantaḥ śoṇitaṃ bahu ||

Translation

അവർ ഭയത്തോടെ മുൻഭാഗം (തുമ്പി) ചുരുക്കി ഒരേ വേഗത്തിൽ ഓടിപ്പോയി. ഓടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ മലമൂത്രം വിസർജ്ജിക്കുകയും മുറിവുകളിൽ നിന്ന് ധാരാളം രക്തം ഒഴുകുകയും ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• संकोच्य: having contracted/drawn in
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+कुच्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• अग्रकरान्: fore-hands (trunks/forelimbs)
• अग्रकरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्रकर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भीताः: frightened
• भीताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रद्रवन्ति: run away / flee
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+द्रु
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• समवेगिताः: impelled with great speed
• समवेगिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समवेगित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शकृत्: feces
• शकृत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकृत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मूत्रम्: urine
• मूत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सृजन्तः: voiding / discharging
• सृजन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• क्षरन्तः: oozing / dripping
• क्षरन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बहु: much / a lot
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• elephants (hastin/gaja implied)
• weapons (astra-śastra implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark karmic and ethical cost of violence: when living beings are struck by weapons, the immediate fruits are terror, loss of bodily control, and grievous suffering—an implicit warning against nṛśaṃsatā (pitiless cruelty).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of a violent forest episode, wounded elephants—struck by weapons—panic and flee, drawing in their trunks; as they run, they involuntarily void excrement and urine while bleeding profusely from their injuries.