Shloka 3

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

पप्रच्छ च कथं भद्रे ! त्वमेतद्वनमागता । स्फुटं ब्रवीहि वैशालेरपि भार्या सुशर्मणः ॥

Transliteration

papraccha ca kathaṃ bhadre! tvam etad vanam āgatā / sphuṭaṃ bravīhi vaiśāler api bhāryā suśarmaṇaḥ

Translation

Dia bertanya: “Wahai wanita mulia, bagaimana engkau sampai ke rimba ini? Katakan dengan jelas—adakah engkau isteri Suśarman dari Vaiśālī?”

Word by Word

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• katham: how/why
• katham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• bhadre: O good lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; address

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally with vanam

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म; destination object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āgatā: have come
• āgatā: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively with tvam

• sphuṭam: clearly
• sphuṭam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sphuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण)

• bravīhi: tell (me)
• bravīhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• vaiśāleḥ: of Vaiśāla
• vaiśāleḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possession)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; patronymic/descendant of Viśāla

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (अपि = also/even)

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to tvam (you are the wife)

• suśarmaṇaḥ: of Suśarman
• suśarmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possession)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suśarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; proper name

Speakers

• King to the Brahmin woman; Mārkaṇḍeya narrating

Key Themes

• Verification of identity
• Compassionate inquiry
• Social protection

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma operates with both compassion and clarity: the king speaks gently (bhadre) yet verifies identity before acting—an ideal of careful, non-harmful governance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara narrative; illustrates normative conduct (dharma) through royal procedure and interpersonal ethics.

What is the esoteric significance?

Clear speech (sphuṭaṃ) symbolizes the removal of confusion caused by adharma; naming place and person restores order to a dislocated life.