Shloka 85

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

मत्प्रसादपरौ प्रीत्या शापितौ हृदयेन मे ।

ततः स्नेहार्द्रवदनौ तावुभौ नागनन्दनौ ॥

Transliteration

matprasādaparau prītyā śāpitau hṛdayena me / tataḥ snehārdravadanau tāv ubhau nāganandanau

Translation

मदनुग्रहेणाभिरतः सन् स्नेहेन तान् हृदयात् शशाप। ततः स्नेहस्निग्धमुखौ तौ नागकुमारौ प्रत्युवाचताम्॥

Word by Word

• matprasādaparau: devoted to my grace
• matprasādaparau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mat + prasāda + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी) ‘devoted to my favor/grace’; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Dual; qualifying (tāv ubhau)

• prītyā: with affection
• prītyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• śāpitau: cursed
• śāpitau: Karta (कर्ता/subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śap (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Dual; ‘cursed’

• hṛdayena: with (my) heart
• hṛdayena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• me: my/of me
• me: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th) or Dative (4th), Singular; enclitic

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (ततः = ‘thereupon/then’)

• snehārdravadanau: with faces softened by affection
• snehārdravadanau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sneha + ārdra + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘faces moist/soft with affection’; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; qualifying tāv ubhau

• tāv: those two
• tāv: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Dual

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual; appositional to tāv

• nāganandanau: the two sons of the Nāga
• nāganandanau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी) ‘sons of the Nāga’; Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speakers

• Narrator describing the Nāga princes’ state; curse motif present

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Consequences of speech (śāpa)
• Affection vs anger
• Repentance/softening

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even affectionate relationships can produce harmful speech (śāpa) when mixed with pride/possessiveness. The narrative immediately counterbalances it with snehārdra (tenderness), indicating dharma is restored through remorse and gentle reply.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative within Vamśānucarita; illustrates karmic potency of words rather than cosmology.

What is the esoteric significance?

A curse ‘from the heart’ signals that subtle intention (bhāva) empowers speech; transformation begins when the heart softens, dissolving the ‘hard knot’ behind conflict.