Shloka 19

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

ज्ञेयाग्निविस्फुलिङ्गानां बीजचेष्टा च शाल्मलेः ।

चन्द्रसूर्यस्वरूपेण नीत्यर्थे पृथिवीक्षितः ॥

Transliteration

jñeyāgni-visphuliṅgānāṃ bīja-ceṣṭā ca śālmaleḥ | candra-sūrya-svarūpeṇa nītyarthe pṛthivīkṣitaḥ ||

Translation

നീതിയുടെ ആവശ്യത്തിനായി ഭരണാധികാരി അഗ്നിസ്ഫുലിംഗങ്ങളുടെ സ്വഭാവവും വിത്തിന്റെ പ്രവർത്തനശക്തിയും (ശാല്മലി വിത്തുപോലെ) മനസ്സിലാക്കണം; ഭരണത്തിന്റെ മാതൃകയായി ചന്ദ്രനും സൂര്യനും പോലെയുള്ള ഭാവങ്ങൾ സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known
• ज्ञेयाः: Vidheyā (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + ज्ञेय (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be known’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अग्निविस्फुलिङ्गानाम्: of sparks of fire
• अग्निविस्फुलिङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + विस्फुलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: अग्नि-विस्फुलिङ्ग (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/सम्बन्धः; ‘अग्नेः विस्फुलिङ्गाः’), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बीजचेष्टा: the activity of seeds
• बीजचेष्टा: Vidheyā (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज + चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: बीज-चेष्टा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; ‘बीजानां चेष्टा’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शाल्मलेः: of the śālmali tree
• शाल्मलेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālmali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चन्द्रसूर्यस्वरूपेण: by the form/nature of moon and sun
• चन्द्रसूर्यस्वरूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + सूर्य + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: चन्द्र-सूर्य (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः) + स्वरूप (तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः; ‘चन्द्रसूर्ययोः स्वरूपम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीत्यर्थे: in the matter/purpose of polity
• नीत्यर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīti + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: नीति-अर्थ (तत्पुरुषः; ‘नीतेः अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्’), पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृथिवीक्षितः: the ruler of the earth (king)
• पृथिवीक्षितः: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī + kṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: पृथिवी-क्षित् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; ‘पृथिव्याः क्षित्/पालकः’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Didactic narrator within rājadharma teaching

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Surya
• Chandra

Key Themes

• Rājadharma
• Nīti
• Natural analogies
• Latent power and gradual growth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Governance requires grasping both sudden escalation (sparks) and slow maturation (seeds). The Moon–Sun pairing suggests balancing soothing welfare with energizing discipline and visibility.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic nīti section; not directly pancalakṣaṇa content.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sparks indicate how small provocations can ignite conflict; seeds indicate how subtle intentions mature into outcomes. Moon and Sun symbolize the twin royal powers: saumyatā (gentle nurture) and tejas (radiant authority).