Shloka 34

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

स्वकर्मफलपाकेन भर्तुस्तस्य महात्मनः ।

वियोजिताहं तद्धेतुरयमासीन् निशाचरः ॥

Transliteration

sva-karma-phala-pākena bhartus tasya mahātmanaḥ |

viyojitāhaṃ tad-dhetur ayam āsīn niśācaraḥ ||

Translation

എന്റെ സ്വന്തം കർമ്മഫലത്തിന്റെ പരിപാകം മൂലം ഞാൻ ആ മഹാത്മാവായ ഭർത്താവിൽ നിന്ന് വേർപെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. ആ വേർപാടിന്റെ കാരണം ഈ നിശാചരൻ (രാക്ഷസൻ) ആയിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• sva-karma-phala-pākena: by the ripening of the fruit of my own deeds
• sva-karma-phala-pākena: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (मुख्यः ‘पाक’ः; ‘of the ripening of the fruit of one’s own actions’)

• bhartuḥ: of (my) husband
• bhartuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• tasya: of that (man)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled
• mahātmanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (‘one whose self is great’) विशेषणम् (qualifying bhartuḥ)

• viyojitā: separated
• viyojitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-yuj (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tad-hetuḥ: the cause of that
• tad-hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘cause of that’)

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लङ् (Imperfect/Past), पुरुषः—प्रथम (3rd), वचनम्—एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• niśācaraḥ: the night-roamer (demon)
• niśācaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speakers

• wife to the king (reported in narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Karma
• Moral responsibility
• Causality (instrumental vs ultimate cause)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A classic Purāṇic distinction is implied: karma is the ultimate cause (nimitta at a higher level), while agents/events (like the rākṣasa) can be proximate instruments. The speaker begins to accept responsibility rather than blaming others alone.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction through narrative (upākhyāna); not a pancalakṣaṇa core element.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Ripening’ (pāka) indicates latent impressions becoming manifest; the rākṣasa stands for the triggering condition that externalizes inner karmic seeds.