Shloka 9

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

Sanskrit

विश्वामित्र उवाच ।

पूर्णः स मासो राजर्षे दीयतां मम दक्षिणा ।

राजसूयनिमित्तं हि स्मर्यते स्ववचो यदि ॥

Transliteration

viśvāmitra uvāca pūrṇaḥ sa māso rājarṣe dīyatāṃ mama dakṣiṇā / rājasūya-nimittaṃ hi smaryate svavaco yadi //

Translation

విశ్వామిత్రుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ రాజర్షీ, ఆ నెల ఇప్పుడు పూర్తైంది; నా దక్షిణను ఇవ్వండి. రాజసూయ కారణంగా దానం ఇవ్వవలసినదని స్మరణలో ఉంది—మీ మాటను మీరు గుర్తుంచుకుంటే.

Word by Word

• viśvāmitraḥ: Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; proper noun

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pūrṇaḥ: complete
• pūrṇaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; adjective: full/complete

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; demonstrative: that

• māsaḥ: month
• māsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• rājarṣe: O royal sage
• rājarṣe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; vocative

• dīyatām: let (it) be given
• dīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): let it be given

• mama: to me / my
• mama: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive: of me/to me

• dakṣiṇā: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; sacrificial fee

• rājasūya-nimittam: for the Rājasūya purpose
• rājasūya-nimittam: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājasūya (प्रातिपदिक) + nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: rājasūyasya nimittam = for the Rājasūya (sacrifice)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• smaryate: is remembered/mentioned
• smaryate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-भाव (is remembered/mentioned)

• sva-vacaḥ: one’s own word/promise
• sva-vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: svam vacaḥ = one’s own word/promise

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction: if)

Speakers

• Viśvāmitra addressing a rājarṣi (king-sage) within the narrative frame of the Markandeya Purana

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satya (truthfulness/keeping one’s vow)
• Yajña economy (dakṣiṇā and ritual obligation)
• Royal duties and ritual propriety

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds satya and accountability: a ruler’s word is binding, especially in ritual contexts where social and cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) is upheld through properly completed sacrifices and duly paid dakṣiṇā.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is best classified under Vaṃśānucarita / narrative of exemplary conduct (ethical-ritual episode involving a rājarṣi and a ṛṣi). It is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/manvantara, but a dharma-illustrative story embedded in the Purāṇic discourse.

What is the esoteric significance?

Dakṣiṇā symbolizes the ‘completion’ (pūrṇatā) of a rite: without rightful restitution, the sacrifice is ritually and morally incomplete. Remembering one’s own word (svavacaḥ-smaraṇa) hints at inner integrity—alignment of speech, mind, and action—as a subtle yajña performed within the self.