Shloka 17

Devanagari script

कामबलसंयुक्तो रत्यर्थं मनुजाधिपः।।।।अपश्यन्दयितां भार्यां पप्रच्छ विषसाद च।

Transliteration

kāmabalasaṃyukto ratyarthaṃ manujādhipaḥ |

apaśyan dayitāṃ bhāryāṃ papraccha viṣasāda ca ||

Translation

కామబలంతో ప్రేరితుడై, రతిసుఖార్థం కోరిన మనుజాధిపతి ప్రియ భార్యను చూడక విషాదపడుతూ ఆమె గురించి ప్రశ్నించెను।

Word by Word

• kāma-bala-saṃyuktaḥ: impelled by passion
• kāma-bala-saṃyuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक; from saṃ-√yuj)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (instrumental/association sense) = 'joined with the force of desire/passion'

• rati-artham: for pleasure
• rati-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa = 'for the sake of pleasure' (purpose)

• manuja-adhipaḥ: the king
• manuja-adhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuja (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; samāsa: ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa = 'lord of men'

• apaśyan: not seeing
• apaśyan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√paś (√dṛś) (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: present active participle (शतृ/Śatṛ); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'not seeing' (simultaneous action)

• dayitām: beloved
• dayitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'bhāryām'

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• papraccha: asked/enquired
• papraccha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√prach (प्रच्छ् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect, past), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• viṣasāda: became dejected
• viṣasāda: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

Context

The maharaja entered the inner apartment of Kaikeyi's prosperous abode filled with parrots and peacocks, reverberating with cries of kraunchas and swans and sounds of musical instruments attended with hunchbacks and dwarfs decorated with champak and ashoka trees, bowers surrounded with creepers, picturegalleries, altars and sofas embellished with ivory, gold and silver. It was shining with pools and trees bearing flowers and fruits in all seasons. Various kinds of food, drinks and eatables were kept ready. With excellent decorations that abode of Kaikeyi resembled heaven. (But) the king did not see his beloved Kaikeyi in her best bed.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse highlights the tension between sense-impulse and steadiness: dharma requires that even powerful persons recognize human vulnerability and respond with inquiry rather than rashness.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, arriving with happy news, expects Kaikeyī’s presence; her absence shocks him, and he begins to question attendants—opening the path to Kaikeyī’s demands.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A restrained form of response: despite desire and disappointment, the king turns to questioning (seeking facts), a step toward truth-seeking (satya-anveṣaṇa).