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Shloka 12

Dhruva’s Humiliation, Sunīti’s Counsel, and Nārada’s Bhakti-Yoga Instruction

बालोऽसि बत नात्मानमन्यस्त्रीगर्भसम्भृतम् । नूनं वेद भवान् यस्य दुर्लभेऽर्थे मनोरथ: ॥ १२ ॥

bālo ’si bata nātmānam anya-strī-garbha-sambhṛtam nūnaṁ veda bhavān yasya durlabhe ’rthe manorathaḥ

Meu querido filho, você não tem consciência de que não nasceu do meu ventre, mas de outra mulher. Portanto, deve saber que sua tentativa está fadada ao fracasso. Você está tentando realizar um desejo impossível de ser realizado.

बालःa child
बालः:
कर्ता (Kartā: subject)
TypeNoun
Rootबाल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
असिare
असि:
क्रिया (Kriyā: copula)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
बतindeed / alas
बत:
सम्बन्ध (particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootबत (अव्यय)
Formविस्मय/खेदसूचक-अव्यय (exclamatory particle)
not
:
सम्बन्ध (particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation)
आत्मानम्yourself
आत्मानम्:
कर्म (Karma: object of ‘वेद’)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
अन्य-स्त्री-गर्भ-सम्भृतम्nourished in another woman’s womb
अन्य-स्त्री-गर्भ-सम्भृतम्:
कर्म (Karma: object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, सम्-भृ धातु)
Formबहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आत्मानम्’ विशेषण
नूनम्surely
नूनम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनूनम् (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (certainly)
वेदknows
वेद:
क्रिया (Kriyā: main verb)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
भवान्you
भवान्:
कर्ता (Kartā: subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
यस्यwhose
यस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha: whose)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)
दुर्लभेin a hard-to-attain
दुर्लभे:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: in regard to)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘अर्थे’ विशेषण
अर्थेgoal / matter
अर्थे:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: in the matter of)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन
मनोरथःdesire / wish
मनोरथः:
कर्ता (Kartā: subject of implied ‘अस्ति’)
TypeNoun
Rootमनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

The small child, Dhruva Mahārāja, was naturally affectionate toward his father, and he did not know that there was a distinction between his two mothers. This distinction was pointed out by Queen Suruci, who informed him that since he was a child he did not understand the distinction between the two queens. This is another statement of Queen Suruci’s pride.

S
Suruci
D
Dhruva
U
Uttānapāda

FAQs

This verse shows how harsh, ego-driven speech can wound others; in Dhruva’s narrative, such humiliation becomes the catalyst for intense determination and eventual devotion to the Lord.

Suruci, proud of her position as the favored queen, belittles Dhruva as born from another wife and discourages his aspiration for royal honor, revealing envy and possessiveness over the throne.

When faced with rejection or belittlement, transform the pain into disciplined effort and higher purpose—seeking inner worth and spiritual growth rather than validation from status or favoritism.