Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अग्निवर्णो ज्वलन्‌ धीमान्‌ स द्विजो रथधुर्यवत्‌ । प्रतोदेनातुदद्‌ बालां रुक्मिणीं मम पश्यत:

Transliteration

agnivarṇo jvalan dhīmān sa dvijo rathadhuryavat | pratodenātudad bālāṃ rukmiṇīṃ mama paśyataḥ ||

Translation

అగ్నివర్ణుడై జ్వలిస్తూ, ధీమంతుడైన ఆ ద్విజుడు దుర్వాసుడు నా కళ్లముందే నిర్దోషిణి రుక్మిణీని ప్రతోదంతో కొట్టడం మొదలుపెట్టాడు—రథానికి యోకబడ్డ గుర్రాలను కొరడాతో కొట్టినట్లే।

Word by Word

• अग्निवर्णः: fire-colored, like fire in hue
• अग्निवर्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्वलन्: blazing
• ज्वलन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजः: brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथधुर्यवत्: like (one) fit for the yoke of a chariot; as with chariot-horses
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रथधुर्यवत्
• Form: true

• प्रतोदेन: with a whip/goad
• प्रतोदेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अतुदत्: struck, beat, goaded
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुद्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• बालाम्: young/innocent (girl)
• बालाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाला
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रुक्मिणीम्: Rukmini
• रुक्मिणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• पश्यतः: while (I was) seeing; in my presence
• पश्यतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (speaker)
• a brahmin (implied: Durvāsas in the accompanying Hindi gloss)
• Rukmiṇī
• whip/goad (pratoda)
• chariot and its yoked horses (ratha, dhurya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that spiritual brilliance and social-religious status (dvija, dhīmān) do not excuse harshness. Dharma requires restraint and compassion; power—especially ascetic or moral authority—must not be used to harm the innocent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu narrates a scene he witnesses: a fiery, intelligent brahmin begins lashing the innocent Rukmiṇī with a whip, likening the act to whipping chariot-horses. The comparison intensifies the sense of dehumanizing cruelty and sets up an ethical critique of such conduct.