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Shloka 79

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

विश्वामित्रे गते राजा भयशोकाब्धिमध्यगः ।

सर्वाकारं विनिश्चित्य प्रोवाचोच्चैरधोमुखः ॥

viśvāmitre gate rājā bhayaśokābdhimadhyagaḥ | sarvākāraṃ viniścitya provācoccair adhomukhaḥ ||

విశ్వామిత్రుడు వెళ్లిపోయిన తరువాత రాజు భయశోకసముద్రంలో మునిగి, అన్ని విషయాలలో దృఢనిశ్చయం చేసుకొని, ముఖం వంచి గట్టిగా పలికెను।

viśvāmitrewhen Viśvāmitra (was)
viśvāmitre:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootviśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
gatehaving departed
gate:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (गम् धातु) + gata (क्त, कृदन्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Locative singular masculine agreeing with viśvāmitre; sense: 'having gone'
rājāthe king
rājā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
bhaya-śoka-abdhi-madhya-gaḥbeing in the midst of an ocean of fear and sorrow
bhaya-śoka-abdhi-madhya-gaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhaya (भय प्रातिपदिक) + śoka (शोक प्रातिपदिक) + abdhi (अब्दि प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (मध्य प्रातिपदिक) + ga (ग/गम् धातु से ‘ग’ प्रत्यय, ‘going/being in’)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: ‘in the middle of the ocean of fear and grief’ qualifying rājā
sarva-ākāramin every respect; completely
sarva-ākāram:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (आकार प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially: 'in every way/fully'
viniścityahaving ascertained
viniścitya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootniścī (निश्चि/निश्चित्—नि + √ci ‘to decide’, here absolutive)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), from vi+ni+√ci; 'having ascertained/decided'
provācasaid; spoke forth
provāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (वच् धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with preverb pra-
uccaiḥaloud; loudly
uccaiḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootuccaiḥ (उच्चैः अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable adverb (अव्यय—क्रियाविशेषण)
adho-mukhaḥwith face lowered
adho-mukhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootadhas (अधस् अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (मुख प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'with face down' qualifying rājā
Narrator describing the king’s condition (frame narrative leading to the sage’s instruction)

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

DharmaRoyal duty and lossSorrow and fearTurning-point before instruction

FAQs

The verse captures a dharmic psychological pivot: intense grief and fear can become the condition that drives a person toward decisive inquiry and truthful speech. The downcast face indicates humility and inner rupture—often the prerequisite for receiving higher instruction.

Primarily Itihāsa/Upākhyāna within the Purāṇic narrative method (supporting instruction through story). It is not directly Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita in this single verse, though it contributes to the broader didactic arc that the Purāṇa conveys through royal line and exemplary conduct.

‘Ocean of fear and grief’ symbolizes saṃsāric turbulence; ‘having resolved on every point’ suggests the mind moving from scattered vṛttis toward ekāgratā (one-pointedness). The downcast gaze can signify introversion (pratyāhāra-like withdrawal), a preparatory state before transformative knowledge—here, the narrative movement toward Devī-centered insight.