Shloka 132

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

Sanskrit

अनन्तरं स जातस्तु तदा पुक्कसबालकः ।

श्मशानमृतसंस्कारकरणेषु सदोद्यतः ॥

Transliteration

anantaraṃ sa jātas tu tadā pukkasa-bālakaḥ / śmaśāna-mṛta-saṃskāra-karaṇeṣu sadodyataḥ

Translation

അൽപ്പകാലത്തിനകം അവൻ പുക്കസ ബാലനായി ജനിച്ചു; ശ്മശാനത്തിൽ മരിച്ചവരുടെ അന്ത്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ നിർവഹിക്കുന്നതിൽ എപ്പോഴും ഏർപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अनन्तरम्: afterwards
• अनन्तरम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘thereafter’ अर्थे

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘born’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• पुक्कस-बालकः: a pukkasa boy (outcaste child)
• पुक्कस-बालकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुक्कस (प्रातिपदिक) + बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—पुक्कसः (जात्या) बालकः

• श्मशान-मृत-संस्कार-करणेषु: in the performance of funeral rites (for the dead) at the cremation-ground
• श्मशान-मृत-संस्कार-करणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + मृत (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—श्मशाने मृतस्य संस्कारः (तत्पुरुष) तस्य करणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• उद्यतः: ready/active
• उद्यतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्+यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) ‘ready/engaged’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speakers

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

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Rebirth and occupation
• Death rites (antyeṣṭi domain)
• Karma shaping livelihood

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The narrative links prior conduct to the conditions of birth and work. Constant engagement with death-rites emphasizes the inescapability of karmic environments until inner transformation occurs.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita (individual story) employed to teach dharma and karmaphala.

What is the esoteric significance?

Serving among the dead can also be read as forced contemplation of mortality—an austere teacher that can mature detachment and humility.