Shloka 42

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् ।

अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते ॥

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam /

aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyameva viśiṣyate

Translation

Тысячу жертвоприношений ашвамедха и Истину положили на весы; воистину, Истина перевешивает даже тысячу ашвамедх.

Word by Word

• अश्वमेध-सहस्रम्: a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेध-सहस्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (अश्वमेधानां सहस्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तुलया: by a balance/scale
• तुलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धृतम्: was weighed/placed
• धृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (predicative: 'was weighed/held')

• अश्वमेध-सहस्रात्: than a thousand Aśvamedhas
• अश्वमेध-सहस्रात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s early dialogue frame (exact speaker attribution varies by recension; presented as authoritative puranic teaching)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satya (Truthfulness)
• Ethics over ritualism
• Karma (merit comparison)
• Vedic sacrifice (yajña) re-evaluated

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts an axiological hierarchy: inner moral integrity (satya) is superior to even the most prestigious external rites. It does not deny yajña’s value, but teaches that truthfulness is the higher dharma and the more potent source of merit.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse aligns most closely with Dharma/Ācāra instruction (often embedded within puranic narratives). Within the pañcalakṣaṇa framework, it is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita, but a didactic dharma passage that supports the purana’s broader ethical intent.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘balance’ (tulā) symbolizes discernment (viveka): weighing outward power and prestige against inner truth. Esoterically, satya is treated as a stabilizing principle of ṛta/dharma—when aligned with truth, one’s speech and mind become ‘weighty,’ generating spiritual authority beyond ritual magnitude.