Shloka 182

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

हा नाथ ! राजन् ! भवता मामनाश्वास्य दुःखिताम् ।

क्वापि सन्तिष्ठता स्थाने विश्रब्धं स्थीयते कथम् ॥

Transliteration

hā nātha! rājan! bhavatā mām anāśvāsya duḥkhitām | kvāpi santiṣṭhatā sthāne viśrabdhaṃ sthīyate katham ||

Translation

ఓ నాథా, ఓ రాజా! నా దుఃఖంలో నాకు సాంత్వన ఇవ్వకుండా ఎవడు ఎక్కడైనా, ఏ స్థలంలోనైనా ప్రశాంతంగా ఉండగలడు?

Word by Word

• hā: alas!
• hā: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hā (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (interjection)

• nātha: O lord!
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• rājan: O king!
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• bhavatā: by you
• bhavatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; honorific pronoun ‘by you’

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं (context), द्वितीया, एकवचन; pronoun

• anāśvāsya: without consoling
• anāśvāsya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: an-ā-√śvas (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with negation: ‘without consoling’; ‘having not consoled’

• duḥkhitām: sorrowful
• duḥkhitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √duḥkh ‘to suffer’/denom.)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies mām

• kvāpi: somewhere
• kvāpi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘somewhere/anywhere’

• santiṣṭhatā: while staying
• santiṣṭhatā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘while staying/standing’ (agreeing with bhavatā)

• sthāne: in a place
• sthāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• viśrabdham: securely / confidently
• viśrabdham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśrabdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, vi-√śrambh ‘to trust/relax’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adverbial use ‘securely/with confidence’

• sthīyate: can one remain
• sthīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘is stayed/remains’

• katham: how?
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speakers

• Rājapatnī (the queen)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Spousal duty
• Consolation and support
• Householder ethics (gṛhastha-dharma) in crisis
• Emotional refuge

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even amid catastrophe, dharma includes interpersonal responsibility—especially the duty to reassure and protect the vulnerable within the household.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Narrative ethics (ākhyāna) illustrating practical dharma in domestic/royal life.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘place’ (sthāna) is not secure without inner steadiness; the plea for reassurance hints that true refuge is stability of mind/heart, not geography.