Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत: परमकोपेन राजानो नृपपुङ्गव।न्यरुंधन्मिथिलां सर्वे वीर्यसंदेहमागता:।।1.66.20।।

Transliteration

tataḥ paramakopena rājāno nṛpapuṅgava | nyarundhan mithilāṁ sarve vīryasaṁdeham āgatāḥ || 1.66.20 ||

Translation

Então, ó melhor dos reis, todos aqueles soberanos—tomados por cólera intensa e assombrados pela dúvida quanto ao próprio valor—vieram e cercaram Mithilā.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: kāla-avyaya

• parama-kopena: with extreme anger
• parama-kopena: Karaṇa (करण; means/attendant state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; 'with extreme anger'

• rājānaḥ: kings
• rājānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• nṛpa-puṅgava: O best of kings
• nṛpa-puṅgava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; 'best of kings'

• nyaruṇdhan: besieged/surrounded
• nyaruṇdhan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√rudh (रुध् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana; parasmaipada; 'they besieged/blocked'

• mithilām: Mithilā
• mithilām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifies rājānaḥ

• vīrya-saṃdeham: doubt about (their) prowess
• vīrya-saṃdeham: Karma (कर्म; object of āgatāḥ in sense 'having come with')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; समासः—वीर्ये सन्देहः (locative/objective tatpuruṣa; 'doubt about prowess')

• āgatāḥ: having come
• āgatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate of rājānaḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Kta, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'having come'

Context

Thereafter, I propitiated the gods by my austerities. Highly pleased, they gave me an army of four divisions (chariots, elephants, horses and infantry ).

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra
• Mithilā
• Kings (unnamed rival rulers)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Unchecked anger and wounded pride lead to adharma: instead of self-discipline after failure, the kings externalize blame and resort to aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka recounts how rival kings, after failing with the bow, became enraged and laid siege to Mithilā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, Janaka’s steadfastness as a protector-king is implied—he must uphold order against unjust force.