Shloka 11

Upaśruti Guides Indrāṇī to Indra; Indrāṇī Reports Nahuṣa’s Misconduct (उपश्रुति-इन्द्राणी-इन्द्रदर्शन प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

पद्मस्य भित्त्वा नालं च विवेश सहिता तया । बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टं च तत्रापश्यच्छतक्रतुम्‌

Transliteration

padmasya bhittvā nālaṃ ca viveśa sahitā tayā | bisatantupraviṣṭaṃ ca tatrāpaśyac chatakratum ||

Translation

Tendo fendido o talo do lótus, ela entrou em seu interior com ele; e ali viu Śatakratu (Indra) escondido, depois de se ter enfiado numa fibra de lótus. O episódio ressalta como o ocultamento e a evasão, mesmo nos poderosos, podem ser expostos por uma investigação determinada, e enquadra a tensão ética entre desejo, segredo e responsabilidade.

Word by Word

• पद्मस्य: of the lotus
• पद्मस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having split / having pierced
• भित्त्वा: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• नालम्: the stalk (of the lotus)
• नालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Past (narrative perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सहिता: accompanied / together
• सहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तया: with her
• तया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टम्: entered into a lotus-fibre (i.e., hidden within a lotus filament)
• बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिस-तन्तु-प्रविष्ट
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), Past, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शतक्रतुम्: Śatakratu (Indra)
• शतक्रतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Indrāṇī
• lotus (padma)
• lotus-stalk (nāla)
• lotus-fibre/filament (bisa-tantu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that secrecy and evasive hiding—especially when driven by desire or fear of blame—are ethically unstable: persistent scrutiny can uncover the truth, reinforcing the value of accountability and upright conduct (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Indrāṇī splits the lotus-stalk and enters within; there she discovers Indra (Śatakratu) concealed by slipping into a lotus-fibre, revealing his attempt to hide.