Shloka 20

Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory

Sanskrit

हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच दातव्यं विप्रमुख्येभ्यो ये चान्ये कृशवृत्तयः । रक्ष्या भीताः सदा युद्धं कर्तव्यं परिपन्थिभिः ॥

Transliteration

hariścandra uvāca dātavyaṃ vipramukhyebhyo ye cānye kṛśavṛttayaḥ / rakṣyā bhītāḥ sadā yuddhaṃ kartavyaṃ paripanthibhiḥ

Translation

ହରିଶ୍ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର କହିଲେ—ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ଏବଂ ଅଳ୍ପ ସାଧନରେ ଜୀବନ ଚାଲାଉଥିବା ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦାନ ଦେବା ଉଚିତ। ଯେମାନେ ଭୟଭୀତ, ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏବଂ ପଥଦସ୍ୟୁ ଓ ଶତ୍ରୁ ଆକ୍ରମଣକାରୀଙ୍କ ବିରୋଧରେ ସଦା ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରିବା ଦରକାର।

Word by Word

• hariścandraḥ: Hariścandra
• hariścandraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hariścandra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• dātavyam: should be given
• dātavyam: Kārya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (कृत्य/तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• vipramukhyebhyaḥ: to the foremost brāhmaṇas
• vipramukhyebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipramukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural; tatpuruṣa: vipra + mukhya ‘chief among brāhmaṇas’

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• kṛśa-vṛttayaḥ: those of scanty means
• kṛśa-vṛttayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; karmadhāraya: ‘having meagre livelihood’

• rakṣyāḥ: are to be protected
• rakṣyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (कृत्य/यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• bhītāḥ: the frightened (ones)
• bhītāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhī (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; used substantively

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• kartavyam: must be done
• kartavyam: Kārya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (कृत्य/तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘to be done’

• paripanthibhiḥ: by highwaymen / enemies
• paripanthibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paripanthi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

Speakers

• Hariścandra (within the narrative frame of the Markandeya Purana; exact outer-frame speakers not provided in input)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Dāna (charity)
• Protection of subjects
• Just war against aggressors

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse defines a king’s ethical triad of responsibility: (1) sustain dharma through dāna—supporting worthy Brāhmaṇas and the economically vulnerable; (2) provide refuge and safety to the fearful; and (3) use force only in a dharmic manner—directed against paripanthins (predators/obstructors) who threaten social order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage aligns most closely with 'Vaṃśānucarita' in the broad Purāṇic sense, since Hariścandra is a royal exemplar and the text uses his voice to transmit normative rājadharma. It is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/manvantara in content, but an ethical-constitutional teaching embedded in royal narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

On a symbolic reading, 'dāna' represents the outward flow of resources that keeps the social body nourished, 'rakṣā' is the kingly function of fear-removal (abhaya), and 'yuddha against paripanthins' signifies disciplined resistance to forces that obstruct right order—both externally (banditry) and internally (lawlessness, greed).