Shloka 8

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

अहं हि तपसोग्रेण पितामहमतोषयम्।।3.71.8।।दीर्घमायुस्स मे प्रादात्ततो मां विभ्रमोऽस्पृशत्।

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi tapasogreṇa pitāmaham atoṣayam | dīrgham āyus sa me prādāt tato māṃ vibhramo 'spṛśat ||

Translation

കഠിന തപസ്സിന്റെ ശക്തിയാൽ ഞാൻ പിതാമഹനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ പ്രസാദിപ്പിച്ചു; അദ്ദേഹം എനിക്ക് ദീർഘായുസ്സ് നൽകി, എന്നാൽ അതിനുശേഷം മോഹവും അഹങ്കാരവും എന്നെ പിടികൂടി.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphatic/causal particle)

• तपसा: by penance
• तपसा: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• उग्रेण: intense
• उग्रेण: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्; ‘तपसा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पितामहम्: Brahmā (the grandsire)
• पितामहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• अतोषयम्: I pleased
• अतोषयम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + तुष् (धातु; causative sense)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘आयुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

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

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनरूपम् (Genitive/Dative sg enclitic); अत्र सम्प्रदानार्थे (to me)

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लङ्-प्रयोगः; अत्र लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• विभ्रमः: delusion/confusion
• विभ्रमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• अस्पृशत्: touched/overtook
• अस्पृशत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Context

I pleased the creator Brahma with great penance. He blessed me with long life. Then this pride and confusion overtook me.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Kabandha

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Spiritual attainment (tapas and boons) must be paired with humility; otherwise, gifts become fuel for adharma through delusion and pride.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha narrates that he gained a boon of long life from Brahmā after austerities, but then became overpowered by delusion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and moral introspection: Kabandha openly admits his inner failing rather than blaming fate alone.