Shloka 96

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

Sanskrit

शान्तमश्वतरं नाम माननीयं दिवौकसाम् ।

रमणीयं ततोऽपश्यत् पातालं स नृपात्मजः ॥

Transliteration

śāntamaśvataraṃ nāma mānanīyaṃ divaukasām | ramaṇīyaṃ tato 'paśyat pātālaṃ sa nṛpātmajaḥ ||

Translation

அவன் ‘சாந்தமஸ்வதர’ எனப் பெயருடைய ஒருவரைப் பற்றி அறிந்தான்; அவர் தேவருலக வாசிகளிடையிலும் வணக்கத்திற்குரியவர். பின்னர் அந்த இளவரசன் பாதாளத்தை கண்டான்—காண இனிமையானது.

Word by Word

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with अश्वतरम्

• अश्वतरम्: a mule (or horse-like creature)
• अश्वतरम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of implied ‘saw/encountered’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha/Naming (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable marker (नाम-शब्दः), ‘by name’

• माननीयम्: worthy of honor
• माननीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माननीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with अश्वतरम्; from √मान ‘to honor’ (णीयत्)

• दिवौकसाम्: of the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; ‘दिवि ओकः यस्य’ → ‘dwellers in heaven’

• रमणीयम्: delightful
• रमणीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रमणीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with पातालम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Sequence (काल/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• पातालम्: the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• नृपात्मजः: the king’s son
• नृपात्मजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नृपस्य आत्मजः’

Speakers

• Narrator voice (frame-speaker not identifiable from verses alone)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Pātāla as splendid realm
• Nāga kingship
• Honor beyond worlds

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Merit and honor are not confined to ‘heavenly’ planes; righteousness and nobility can exist in all realms, challenging simplistic hierarchies of purity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna/varṇana (narrative with description). No direct sarga/pratisarga/manvantara data appears here.

What is the esoteric significance?

Pātāla’s ‘delightfulness’ hints that the underworld is also a locus of refined energies; it can symbolize the richness of the inner world when approached with guidance.