Shloka 4

शबलाहरणम्

The Attempted Seizure of Sabalā (Kāmadhenu) and the Triumph of Brahmic Power

Devanagari script

किं मयाऽपकृतं तस्य महर्षेर्भावितात्मन:।यन्मामनागसं भक्तामिष्टां त्यजति धार्मिक:।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ mayā 'pakṛtaṃ tasya maharṣer bhāvitātmanaḥ | yan mām anāgasaṃ bhaktām iṣṭāṃ tyajati dhārmikaḥ ||

Translation

«Какое зло я причинила тому великому риши с очищенной душой, что праведник отвергает меня — невинную, преданную и дорогую?»

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Sing); प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Sing)

• अपकृतम्: harm (done)
• अपकृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apa-kṛ (धातु √कृ; कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त/कृत), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Sing)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Sing)

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• महर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Sing)

• भावितात्मनः: of the purified-souled (sage)
• भावितात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvita-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; भावित = √भू/√भाव् क्त, आत्मन्)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadharaya): भावितः आत्मा यस्य (whose self is purified); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Sing)

• यत्: because/that (which)
• यत्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Sing); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Sing)

• अनागसम्: innocent
• अनागसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-āgas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) / (स्त्रीलिङ्गे अनागसाम् अपेक्षितम्; पाठानुसारम्), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Sing); नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग (negation)

• भक्ताम्: devoted
• भक्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक; √भज क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Sing)

• इष्टाम्: beloved
• इष्टाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √इष्/√यज क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Sing)

• त्यजति: forsakes
• त्यजति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Sing)

• धार्मिकः: the righteous one
• धार्मिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Sing)

Context

What harm have I done to the pious maharshi, a compassionate soul? Why does he forsake me, his auspicious one, despite my innocence and devotion"?

Characters & Entities

• Śabalā
• Vasiṣṭha
• Maharṣi

FAQs

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

A dhārmika person is expected to protect the innocent and devoted; abandonment without cause appears contrary to Dharma, hence Śabalā’s moral question.

What is the narrative situation?

Śabalā searches for a moral reason behind her suffering, assuming Vasiṣṭha’s righteousness and her own blamelessness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trust in righteousness (faith that a dhārmika will not forsake without reason) and the virtue of devotion (bhakti/niṣṭhā).