Shloka 3

Adhyaya 21 — Kuvalayashva’s Descent to Patala and the Rescue of Madalasa

Sanskrit

वीरं कुवलयाश्वं तं वसन्तं गालवाश्रमे ।

मदावलोपोपहतो नाजानाद्दानवाधमः ॥

Transliteration

vīraṃ kuvalayāśvaṃ taṃ vasantaṃ gālavāśrame | madāvalepopahato nājānād dānavādhamaḥ ||

Translation

तो नीच दैत्य मद व गर्वाने ग्रासलेला असल्यामुळे गालवांच्या आश्रमात राहणाऱ्या वीर कुवलयाश्वाला ओळखू शकला नाही।

Word by Word

• vīram: heroic
• vīram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying kuvalayāśvam

• kuvalayāśvam: Kuvalayāśva
• kuvalayāśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuvalayāśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; anaphoric pronoun

• vasantam: dwelling
• vasantam: Karma (कर्म; participial qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘dwelling’

• gālavāśrame: in Gālava’s hermitage
• gālavāśrame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gālava-āśrama (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• madāvalepopahataḥ: afflicted by pride and intoxication
• madāvalepopahataḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mada-āvalepa-upahata (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘struck/afflicted by intoxication and arrogance’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• ajānāt: knew/recognized
• ajānāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• dānavādhamaḥ: the vile Dānava (demon)
• dānavādhamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava-adhama (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speakers

• The two sons narrating to their father

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Pride as spiritual blindness
• Demon as disruptor of āśrama order
• Heroic protection of sages

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Arrogance (avalepa) coupled with intoxication (mada) produces ignorance—here, the demon cannot perceive true strength and virtue. Purāṇic narrative repeatedly treats pride as the prelude to downfall.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita—heroic episode within dynastic narrative, illustrating the prince/hero’s protective function.

What is the esoteric significance?

The 'demon' typifies tamasic distortion: when consciousness is clouded by ego, it misreads reality and attacks what is sacred (āśrama), triggering the corrective force of dharma.