Shloka 22

Adhyaya 22 — Kuvalayashva’s Death through Daitya-Deceit and Madalasa’s Self-Immolation

Sanskrit

हृदयाश्वासनञ्चैतद् गृह्यतां कण्ठभूषणम् ।

नास्माकं हि सुवर्णेन कृत्यमस्ति तपस्विनाम् ॥

Transliteration

hṛdayāśvāsanañ caitad gṛhyatāṃ kaṇṭhabhūṣaṇam /

nāsmākaṃ hi suvarṇena kṛtyam asti tapasvinām

Translation

ഈ ഹാരം ഹൃദയത്തിന് ആശ്വാസമായി സ്വീകരിക്കണമേ. ഞങ്ങൾ തപസ്വികൾക്ക് സത്യത്തിൽ സ്വർണ്ണത്തിന് ഉപകാരമില്ല.

Word by Word

• hṛdaya-āśvāsanam: comfort/assurance of the heart
• hṛdaya-āśvāsanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āśvāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (hṛdayasya āśvāsanam)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gṛhyatām: let it be accepted/taken
• gṛhyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग/आज्ञार्थे (passive/imperative sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √ग्रह्

• kaṇṭha-bhūṣaṇam: neck-ornament
• kaṇṭha-bhūṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇam)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• asmākam: of us/for us
• asmākam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• suvarṇena: with gold
• suvarṇena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• kṛtyam: need/use (something to be done)
• kṛtyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √अस्

• tapasvinām: of ascetics
• tapasvinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Ascetic(s) addressing the royal household (within the Mādālasā narrative frame)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Vairāgya (detachment)
• Anityatā (impermanence)
• Ascetic ideals
• Ethics of non-attachment

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse contrasts household value (gold/ornament) with ascetic value (non-utility of wealth). True consolation is not material possession but the recognition that external objects cannot ultimately resolve sorrow.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not directly Pancalakṣaṇa (sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita). It belongs to vaṃśānucarita-style ethical narration (exemplary conduct within a royal lineage story) used to teach dharma and vairāgya.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘neck-ornament’ can be read as symbolic of saṃsāric adornment (identity and status). The ascetic’s refusal points to inner freedom: relinquishing the ‘ornaments’ of ego and possession that bind the jīva.