Shloka 9

Narmadā

Revā) Tīrtha Greatness: The Gandharva Maidens’ Curse Narrative (Acchodā Episode Begins

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल धर्मगर्भापरा कथा । यथारणिर्वह्निगर्भा धर्म्मस्तु ब्रह्मसूरिव

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | śrūyatāṃ rājaśārdūla dharmagarbhāparā kathā | yathāraṇirvahnigarbhā dharmmastu brahmasūriva

Translation

നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ രാജശാർദൂലാ, ധർമ്മഗർഭമായ ഈ ശ്രേഷ്ഠകഥ ശ്രവിക്കൂ. അരണിയിൽ അഗ്നി അന്തർനിഹിതമായിരിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, ധർമ്മവും ബ്രഹ്മസദൃശമായി അന്തരത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + उपसर्ग उ (irregular perfect stem)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Atmanepada); भावे प्रयोग (impersonal/passive sense): "let it be heard"

• राजशार्दूल: O tiger among kings
• राजशार्दूल: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास: "राजा एव शार्दूलः"

• धर्मगर्भा: pregnant with dharma / containing dharma
• धर्मगर्भा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of कथā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: "धर्मस्य गर्भः" (having dharma as its womb/essence)

• अपरा: another / further
• अपरा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of कथā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथा: story
• कथा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (of श्रूयताम् in impersonal sense: "let the story be heard")
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), उपमान/उदाहरणार्थ (comparative particle: "just as")

• अरणिः: fire-stick (arani)
• अरणिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (in simile clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वह्निगर्भा: having fire within
• वह्निगर्भा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of अरणिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: "वह्नेः गर्भः" (containing fire within)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• ब्रह्मसूरिः: a Brahman-knowing sage
• ब्रह्मसूरिः: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison) (with इव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: "ब्रह्मणः सूरिः" (sage/knower of Brahman)

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), उपमा-वाचक (simile marker)

Speaker

Nārada

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: नारद उवाच → नारदः उवाच (visarga restoration); यथारणिर्वह्निगर्भा → यथा अरणिः वह्निगर्भा; धर्म्मस्तु → धर्मः तु; ब्रह्मसूरिव → ब्रह्मसूरिः इव.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahman
• Dharma

FAQs

Why is Dharma compared to fire hidden in the arani (fire-stick)?

The verse suggests Dharma is inherently present yet may remain unmanifest until “churned” through right conduct, discipline, and discernment—just as fire appears when the arani is rubbed properly.

Who is being addressed as rājaśārdūla (“tiger among kings”)?

The shloka uses an honorific for a virtuous or powerful king (the immediate listener in the dialogue). The specific king’s name is not stated within this single verse.

What ethical lesson does this verse emphasize for rulers and listeners?

It frames the forthcoming narrative as a Dharma-teaching and implies that righteousness is foundational and ever-present; a ruler should actively bring it forth through just action, self-restraint, and adherence to moral law.