Shloka 25

The Legend of Hemakuṇḍala: Charity, Decline of the Sons, and Yama’s Judgment

Devanagari script

इत्थं तु तद्धनं ताभ्यां विनियुक्तमसद्व्ययैः । वारस्त्री विट शैलूष मल्ल चारण बंदिषु

Transliteration

itthaṃ tu taddhanaṃ tābhyāṃ viniyuktamasadvyayaiḥ | vārastrī viṭa śailūṣa malla cāraṇa baṃdiṣu

Translation

Так то богатство было истрачено ими на дурные траты: на куртизанок, сводников, актёров, борцов, бардов и льстивых восхвалителей.

Word by Word

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): अवधान/विरोधार्थक (contrast/emphasis)

• tad-dhanam: that wealth
• tad-dhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (appositional): 'तत् धनम्' = that wealth; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (1st/2nd; Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular) (contextually object of 'viniyuktam')

• tābhyām: by those two
• tābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (Dual)

• viniyuktam: was employed / spent
• viniyuktam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-yuj (धातु) → viniyukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि भावः (passive sense) agreeing with 'tad-dhanam'

• asat-vyayaiḥ: through improper expenses
• asat-vyayaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'असत् व्ययैः' = bad/evil expenditures; पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine) (vyaya), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vāra-strī: courtesan
• vāra-strī: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāra (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; conventional term): 'वारस्त्री' = courtesan; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (list-item; understood as locus of spending)

• viṭa: pimp / rake
• viṭa: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (list-item)

• śailūṣa: actor / performer
• śailūṣa: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śailūṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (list-item)

• malla: wrestler
• malla: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: malla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (list-item)

• cāraṇa: bard / panegyrist
• cāraṇa: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (list-item)

• baṃdiṣu: among flatterers / bards
• baṃdiṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: baṃdin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (contextual narration within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: taddhanaṃ = tad-dhanam; viniyuktamasadvyayaiḥ = viniyuktam asat-vyayaiḥ

FAQs

What ethical teaching does this verse convey about wealth?

It criticizes the dissipation of wealth on morally degrading pleasures and social vices, implying that riches should be used for worthy and dharmic purposes rather than “asad-vyaya” (bad expenditure).

Who are the groups listed (vārastrī, viṭa, śailūṣa, malla, cāraṇa, baṃdi)?

They denote common recipients of frivolous spending: courtesans (vārastrī), pimps/panders (viṭa), actors/performers (śailūṣa), wrestlers (malla), bards/minstrels (cāraṇa), and professional praisers/panegyrists (baṃdi).

Does the verse condemn all performing arts and praise-poetry?

In this context, the list functions as a stock depiction of indulgent and status-seeking expenditure; it targets reckless, vice-linked spending rather than offering a blanket rejection of art, sport, or poetry in all forms.