Shloka 177

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

Sanskrit

सोऽपि कृष्णपटे बालं दृष्ट्वाशीविषपीडितम् ।

नरेन्द्रलक्षणोपेतं चिन्तामाप नरेश्वरः ॥

Transliteration

so ’pi kṛṣṇapaṭe bālaṃ dṛṣṭvā śīviṣapīḍitam | narendralakṣaṇopetaṃ cintām āpa nareśvaraḥ ||

Translation

അവനും കറുത്ത വസ്ത്രത്തിന്മേൽ കിടക്കുന്ന ഒരു ശിശുവിനെ കണ്ടു; വിഷമുള്ള സർപ്പത്തിന്റെ പീഡനത്തിൽ വേദനിച്ച്, രാജലക്ഷണങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്നനായതിനാൽ, അവൻ ആശങ്കാഭരിതനായി ചിന്തയിൽ മുങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय

• कृष्णपटे: on a black cloth
• कृष्णपटे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-पट (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्ण + पट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (कृष्णः पटः)

• बालम्: a child
• बालम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• आशीविषपीडितम्: afflicted by a venomous snake
• आशीविषपीडितम्: कर्मविशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष-पीडित (प्रातिपदिक; आशीविष + पीडित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (आशीविषेण पीडितः); पीडित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• नरेन्द्रलक्षणोपेतम्: endowed with marks of a king
• नरेन्द्रलक्षणोपेतम्: कर्मविशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर-इन्द्र-लक्षण-उपेत (प्रातिपदिक; नरेन्द्र + लक्षण + उपेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नरेन्द्रस्य लक्षणैः उपेतः/युक्तः); उपेत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• चिन्ताम्: anxiety
• चिन्ताम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• आप: attained/was seized by
• आप: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• नरेश्वरः: the lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; नर + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speakers

• Narrator

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Portents and royal marks
• Compassion
• Mortality
• Serpent/poison imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The sight of innocent suffering intensifies dharmic concern: power is measured by responsiveness to vulnerability, not by ornaments of rank.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Narrative instruction through exemplary events (ākhyāna), used to teach dharma and the instability of fortune.

What is the esoteric significance?

Serpent-venom can symbolize kāla (time) and saṃsāric poison (kleśas). ‘Royal marks’ on a dying child underscore the futility of worldly signs before death.