Shloka 160

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

Sanskrit

यमं सोऽपश्यदाकारादुवाच च नराधिपम् ।

विश्वामित्रस्य कोपोऽयं दुर्निवार्यो महात्मनः ॥

Transliteration

yamaṃ so 'paśyad ākārād uvāca ca narādhipam | viśvāmitrasya kopo 'yaṃ durnivāryo mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

അദ്ദേഹം യമനെ കണ്ടു, യമൻ രാജാവിനോട് പറഞ്ഞു: 'മഹാത്മാവായ വിശ്വാമിത്രന്റെ ഈ കോപം തടുക്കാൻ പ്രയാസമാണ്.'

Word by Word

• yamam: Yama
• yamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• apaśyat: saw
• apaśyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ākārāt: from a distance
• ākārāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial ‘from afar/at a distance’ (आकारात् = दूरात्)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• narādhipam: the king (lord of men)
• narādhipam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नराणाम् अधिपः), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśvāmitrasya: of Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kopaḥ: anger
• kopaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun qualifying kopaḥ

• durnivāryaḥ: irresistible; hard to restrain
• durnivāryaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + nivārya (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛ/√vār + यत्)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (दुर् + निवाऱ्यः), adjective; Masculine Nominative Singular agreeing with kopaḥ; ‘hard to restrain’

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled (sage)
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (महान् आत्मा यस्य), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine; referring to Viśvāmitra

Speakers

• Yama to the King (as reported by the narrator)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Tapas-śakti of ṛṣis
• Limits of even divine administration against a sage’s curse
• Dharma as layered authority

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse highlights accountability in dealings with the spiritually potent: a ṛṣi’s anger is not mere emotion but a force shaped by tapas and truth-power. Ethically, it warns rulers to practice restraint, humility, and right conduct toward ascetics and dharma-bearers.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita; Yama’s appearance serves as dharma-personification within a moral tale, not as cosmological exposition.

What is the esoteric significance?

Viśvāmitra’s ‘anger’ can symbolize concentrated saṅkalpa (determinate will). ‘Durnivārya’ implies that once a powerful intention is released, it runs its course unless met by an equal or higher spiritual counter-force.