Shloka 89

Narmadā

Revā) Tīrtha Greatness: The Gandharva Maidens’ Curse Narrative (Acchodā Episode Begins

Devanagari script

विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यममेध्यादपि कांचनम् । नीचादप्युत्तमां विद्यां स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि

Transliteration

viṣādapyamṛtaṃ grāhyamamedhyādapi kāṃcanam | nīcādapyuttamāṃ vidyāṃ strīratnaṃ duṣkulādapi

Translation

Mesmo do veneno pode-se aceitar o néctar; mesmo da impureza, o ouro. Mesmo de um homem baixo, o saber excelente; e mesmo de uma linhagem má, uma mulher joia.

Word by Word

• viṣāt: from poison
• viṣāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Avyaya-function
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic: 'even/also'

• amṛtam: nectar; ambrosia
• amṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• grāhyam: to be taken; acceptable
• grāhyam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √grah (ग्रह् धातु) + yat (यत्) pratyaya; grāhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (णीय/यत्-प्रत्यय), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective agreeing with 'amṛtam' (understood as 'amṛtaṃ ... grāhyam')

• amedhyāt: from impurity; from something unclean
• amedhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amedhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Avyaya-function
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic: 'even/also'

• kāñcanam: gold
• kāñcanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nīcāt: from a low person
• nīcāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively: 'from a low (person)'

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Avyaya-function
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic: 'even/also'

• uttamām: excellent; best
• uttamām: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies 'vidyām'

• vidyām: knowledge; learning
• vidyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• strīratnam: a jewel of a woman; precious woman
• strīratnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) genitive-relation: 'striyāḥ ratnam' (a jewel among women / a woman as a jewel); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• duṣkulāt: from a low/bad family
• duṣkulāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively: 'from a bad family'

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Avyaya-function
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic: 'even/also'

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/speaker in Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: viṣād api → viṣāt + api; amedhyād api → amedhyāt + api; nīcād api → nīcāt + api; duṣkulād api → duṣkulāt + api; api + uttamām → apy uttamām (y-insertion).

FAQs

What is the core ethical teaching of this verse?

It teaches discernment: accept what is truly valuable (nectar, gold, knowledge, virtue) even if it comes from an unexpected or socially disfavored source.

Does the verse endorse impurity or poison?

No. It uses metaphors to say that value can be extracted from unlikely places, just as gold can be purified from ore and antidotes/nectar-like benefit can be derived despite the presence of poison.

How does this relate to learning (vidyā) and social status?

It explicitly states that excellent knowledge should be accepted even if taught by someone considered ‘low’ by social convention, emphasizing merit over birth.