Shloka 4

The Account of King Yayāti: Kāmasaras, Rati’s Tears, and the Birth of Aśrubindumatī

within the Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha Narrative

Devanagari script

निवृत्ते नाटके तस्मिन्गतेषु तेषु भूपतिः । जराभिभूतो धर्मात्मा कामसंसक्तमानसः

Transliteration

nivṛtte nāṭake tasmingateṣu teṣu bhūpatiḥ | jarābhibhūto dharmātmā kāmasaṃsaktamānasaḥ

Translation

ఆ నాటకము ముగిసి వారు వెళ్లిపోయిన తరువాత, ఆ భూపతి—ధర్మాత్ముడైనప్పటికీ—జరచేత అభిభూతుడయ్యెను; అతని మనస్సు కామములో ఆసక్తమై యుండెను।

Word by Word

• निवृत्ते: having ended/ceased
• निवृत्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु) → निवृत्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá); Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) agreeing with 'नाटके'

• नाटके: in the drama/play
• नाटके: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• तस्मिन्: in that (time/thing)
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine/Neuter; Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• गतेषु: when (they) had gone
• गतेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/ktá); Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) agreeing with 'तेषु'

• तेषु: among them/when they (were gone)
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine/Neuter; Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• भूपतिः: the king
• भूपतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक) = भू + पति
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• जराभिभूतः: overcome by old age
• जराभिभूतः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा + अभि + भू (धातु) → अभिभूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá) of अभि-भू; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: जरा- (instrumental sense) + अभिभूत = 'overcome by old age'

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to भूपतिः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'whose self is dharma' = righteous-souled

• कामसंसक्तमानसः: whose mind was attached to desire
• कामसंसक्तमानसः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + संसक्त + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'whose mind (मानस) is attached (संसक्त) to desire (काम)'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; specific speaker not stated in the provided verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मिन् + गतेषु → तस्मिन्गतेषु; काम + संसक्त + मानसः → कामसंसक्तमानसः

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this verse?

It highlights how even a generally righteous person can become mentally bound by desire, especially when weakened by age or circumstance—implying the need for vigilance and detachment (vairāgya).

Why does the verse mention both righteousness (dharmātmā) and desire (kāma)?

To show the inner tension between dharma and kama: moral disposition alone may not prevent attachment unless supported by disciplined awareness and self-control.

What ethical lesson can a reader take from this depiction of the king?

Do not assume virtue is permanent; cultivate steady restraint and discrimination so that changing conditions (like aging, fatigue, or temptation) do not pull the mind into harmful attachment.