Shloka 29

Adhyaya 70 — Meditation on Devi

Sanskrit

राजोवाच स्वभावं वयमश्नीमस्त्वयोक्तं यन्निशाचर ।

तदर्थिनो वयं येन कार्येण शृणु तन्मम ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca svabhāvaṃ vayam aśnīmas tvayoktaṃ yan niśācara |

tad-arthino vayaṃ yena kāryeṇa śṛṇu tan mama ||

Translation

రాజు అన్నాడు— ఓ నిశాచరా, నీవు చెప్పినట్లే మేము విషయాలను వాటి స్వభావానుసారం స్వీకరిస్తాము. మాకూ ఒక ప్రయోజనం ఉంది— ఆ అనుగ్రహానికి ప్రతిగా కావలసిన కార్యాన్ని వినుము।

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• svabhāvam: (our) nature; habit
• svabhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• aśnīmaḥ: we eat
• aśnīmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √aś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• uktam: said; spoken
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• yat: which; what
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• niśācara: O night-roamer (rākṣasa)
• niśācara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tad-arthinaḥ: seeking that (purpose)
• tad-arthinaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुषः: 'seeking that'

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• kāryeṇa: by what task/matter
• kāryeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• king to rākṣasa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Kingship
• Pragmatic governance
• Negotiation with dangerous forces
• Dharma vs expediency

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The king treats the rākṣasa’s ‘nature’ as a given and attempts to channel it toward a desired outcome. The moral tension is whether governance may instrumentalize adharma to correct another adharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Upākhyāna (instructional tale) illustrating rajadharma in practice; not a pancalakṣaṇa core topic.

What is the esoteric significance?

Acknowledging ‘svabhāva’ reflects realism about guṇas/instincts; the spiritual challenge is transforming nature rather than merely bargaining with it.