Shloka 85
Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala
पक्षिण ऊचुः तं तादृशमथालक्ष्य क्रूरदृष्टिं सुनिष्ठुरम् ।
वदन्तमतिदुःशीलं कस्त्वमित्याह पार्थिवः ॥
pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ taṃ tādṛśam athālakṣya krūradṛṣṭiṃ suniṣṭhuram | vadantam atiduḥśīlaṃ kas tvam ity āha pārthivaḥ ||
പക്ഷികൾ പറഞ്ഞു—അവനെ അങ്ങനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ—നോട്ടത്തിൽ ഭീകരൻ, അത്യന്തം കഠിനൻ, അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്ടാചാരമുള്ള വാക്കുകൾ പറയുന്നവൻ—രാജാവ് ചോദിച്ചു: “നീ ആരാണ്?”
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FAQs
Conduct is inferred from outward signs—especially speech and gaze. The verse models prudent discernment: when confronted with harsh, unrighteous behavior, a ruler first establishes identity and intent before proceeding, reflecting a dhārmic approach to judgment.
This verse is primarily within the Purāṇic frame-narrative and dharma-instructional dialogue rather than a direct pañcalakṣaṇa unit. It aligns most closely with didactic material (ācāra/dharma-śikṣā) embedded in narrative, not with sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita as a main datum.
Harsh speech and a cruel gaze are treated as external markers of inner tamas and adharma. The king’s question “Who are you?” symbolizes viveka (discriminative inquiry): before engagement, one seeks the truth of the other’s nature (svabhāva) and role (adhikāra).