Shloka 56

Adhyaya 7 — Fall of Vasu

Sanskrit

इति पौरवचः श्रुत्वा राजा शोकपरिप्लुतः ।

अतिष्ठत स तदा मार्गे तेषामेवानुकम्पया ॥

Transliteration

iti pauravacaḥ śrutvā rājā śokapariplutaḥ /

atiṣṭhat sa tadā mārge teṣāmevānukampayā

Translation

നഗരവാസികളുടെ വാക്കുകൾ ഇങ്ങനെ കേട്ട രാജാവ് ദുഃഖത്തിൽ വിഹ്വലനായി; അവരോടുള്ള കരുണ മാത്രം കൊണ്ടു അപ്പോൾ വഴിയിലേ തന്നെ നിർത്തി.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• पौर-वचः: the words of the citizens
• पौर-वचः: कर्म (Karma/Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘पौराणां वचः’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• शोक-परिप्लुतः: overwhelmed by grief
• शोक-परिप्लुतः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of राजा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + परि√प्लु (धातु) → परिप्लुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘शोकेन परिप्लुतः’

• अतिष्ठत्: stood / halted
• अतिष्ठत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun referring to राजा

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• मार्गे: on the road
• मार्गे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: सम्बन्धसूचक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• अनुकम्पया: out of compassion
• अनुकम्पया: हेतु/करण (Hetu or Karaṇa/Instrumental cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुकम्पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (describing the king’s reaction; not a direct Markandeya–Jaimini or birds’ dialogue line in this verse as given)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Kingship (raja-dharma)
• Compassion (anukampa)
• Human suffering and moral response

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse highlights a core rāja-dharma impulse: a ruler is not merely an executor of power but one who responds to public suffering with empathy. The king’s ‘stopping on the road’ signifies a deliberate suspension of personal agenda in order to attend to the people’s distress—compassion is presented as a legitimate driver of royal action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is best classified under Vaṁśānucarita / ethical-royal narrative (accounts connected to rulers and conduct), rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṁśa in a strict cosmological sense. It functions as narrative-ethical framing that supports the Purana’s broader didactic aims.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the ‘road’ (mārga) can be read as the trajectory of worldly duty and fate; the king’s halt represents the inward pause that precedes transformation. In the larger Purāṇic storytelling rhythm, such a moment of sorrow and compassion often prepares the ground for seeking higher refuge and instruction—setting the psychological precondition for later sacred discourse.