Shloka 129

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

श्मशानाभ्यासयोगेन दैवस्य बलवत्तया ।

अन्यदेहेन दत्त्वा तु गुरवे गुरुदक्षिणाम् ॥

Transliteration

śmaśānābhyāsa-yogena daivasya balavattayā / anya-dehena dattvā tu gurave guru-dakṣiṇām

Translation

ശ്മശാനസഹവാസത്തിന്റെ പതിവും ദൈവബലത്തിന്റെ പ്രാബല്യവും മൂലം, അവൻ മറ്റൊരു ദേഹത്തിൽ (മറ്റൊരു ജന്മത്തിൽ) ഗുരുവിന് ഗുരുദക്ഷിണ അർപ്പിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• श्मशान-अभ्यास-योगेन: by the practice/discipline of (living near) the cremation-ground
• श्मशान-अभ्यास-योगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—(श्मशानस्य अभ्यासः) तत्पुरुषः, तस्य योगः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• दैवस्य: of fate / of the divine (destiny)
• दैवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• बलवत्तया: by/through (its) great power
• बलवत्तया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; -तया = ‘-ness/strength’

• अन्य-देहेन: with another body
• अन्य-देहेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—अन्यः देहः

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having given’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• गुरवे: to the teacher
• गुरवे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• गुरु-दक्षिणाम्: the teacher’s fee (honorarium)
• गुरु-दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—गुरोः दक्षिणा

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Markandeya Purana (frame-speakers not identifiable from excerpt alone)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Fate (daiva) vs agency
• Ritual obligation (guru-dakṣiṇā)
• Embodiment change

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even basic dharmic debts (like guru-dakṣiṇā) may be ‘paid’ under strange compulsions when one’s life is derailed; the verse highlights the tension between daiva (destiny) and puruṣakāra (personal effort).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita/dharma-upadeśa through narrative; not a direct pancalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Another body’ points to the fluidity of identity across embodiments; obligations can follow the jīva beyond a single physical frame.