Shloka 36

Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory

Sanskrit

व्रजतः स ततो रुद्ध्वा पन्थानं प्राह तं नृपम् ।

क्व यास्यसीत्यदत्त्वा मे दक्षिणां राजसूयिकीम् ॥

Transliteration

vrajataḥ sa tato ruddhvā panthānaṃ prāha taṃ nṛpam | kva yāsyasīty adattvā me dakṣiṇāṃ rājasūyikīm ||

Translation

అప్పుడు రాజు బయలుదేరుతుండగా, ఆ బ్రాహ్మణుడు మార్గాన్ని అడ్డగించి ఇలా అన్నాడు—“రాజసూయ యజ్ఞానికి ఇవ్వవలసిన దక్షిణా నాకు ఇవ్వకుండా నీవెక్కడికి వెళ్తున్నావు?”

Word by Word

• व्रजतः: while (he) was going / of him going
• व्रजतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘व्रजतः’ = of (him) going

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Desha/Kala-adhikarana (देश/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), तद्-प्रत्ययान्त; अर्थ: then/from there

• रुद्ध्वा: having blocked/stopped
• रुद्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having stopped/blocked)

• पन्थानम्: the path
• पन्थानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्थान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इति सर्वनामस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक देशवाचक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where)

• यास्यसि: will you go
• यास्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया; negated)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) नकारार्थ (negative absolutive): ‘without giving’

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (enclitic)

• दक्षिणाम्: the sacrificial fee/gift
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजसूयिकीम्: pertaining to the Rājasūya (sacrifice)
• राजसूयिकीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजसूयिक (प्रातिपदिक; from राजसूय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘दक्षिणाम्’)

Speakers

• Narrator describing an encounter: an ascetic/Brahmin addresses a king (nṛpa)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Dāna
• Royal duty (rājadharma)
• Ritual economy (dakṣiṇā)
• Ethical accountability

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse stresses that ritual and social obligations are not merely formalities: a ruler’s legitimacy and moral standing depend on honoring promised or customary dues (dakṣiṇā) to officiants/ascetics. It implies that power and movement (the king ‘going on his way’) can be ethically ‘stopped’ when dharma—especially fair recompense and respect for sacred labor—is neglected.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is best classified under secondary ethical-narrative material rather than the core pañcalakṣaṇa topics. It aligns most closely with dharma-oriented instruction embedded in itihāsa-style narration, not directly with Sarga (creation), Pratisarga, Vaṃśa, Manvantara, or Vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, ‘blocking the path’ can represent karmic and moral causality: unresolved obligations obstruct progress. The Rājasūya dakṣiṇā signifies the exchange that sustains cosmic-social order—sacrifice without rightful giving is incomplete, and incompleteness manifests as impediment.