Shloka 48

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

याहं राज्ञा पुरा दृष्टा सर्वाभरणभूषिता / सा स्वेदमलदिग्धाङ्गी कथं यास्यामि भूपतिम् / अपकृष्टास्मि तेनाहं त्रपया रघुनन्दन / श्रीभागवानुवाच

yāhaṃ rājñā purā dṛṣṭā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā / sā svedamaladigdhāṅgī kathaṃ yāsyāmi bhūpatim / apakṛṣṭāsmi tenāhaṃ trapayā raghunandana / śrībhāgavānuvāca

ข้าพเจ้า—ผู้ซึ่งพระราชาเคยทอดพระเนตรว่าแต่งประดับด้วยเครื่องอลังการทั้งปวง—บัดนี้กายเปื้อนเหงื่อและมลทิน จะไปเฝ้าพระภูปติได้อย่างไร? โอ้รฆุนันทนะ เพราะเหตุนี้ข้าพเจ้ารู้สึกตกต่ำและอับอายยิ่งนัก พระผู้เป็นเจ้าตรัสว่า—

याshe who
या:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular), सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular), सर्वनाम; 'या' इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)
राज्ञाby the king
राज्ञा:
Karana/Karta (करण/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)
पुराformerly
पुरा:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)
दृष्टाseen
दृष्टा:
Kriya (विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन
सर्वाभरणभूषिताadorned with all ornaments
सर्वाभरणभूषिता:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूष् (धातु)
Formसमासः—सर्व+आभरण (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: 'all ornaments'); 'भूषिता' (क्त, भूष्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन
साshe (that same woman)
सा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular), सर्वनाम
स्वेदमलदिग्धाङ्गीwhose limbs are smeared with sweat and grime
स्वेदमलदिग्धाङ्गी:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मल (प्रातिपदिक) + दिग्ध (दिह् धातोः क्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + इन् (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
Formसमासः—स्वेद+मल+दिग्ध+अङ्ग (बहुव्रीहि: 'whose limbs are smeared with sweat and dirt'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन
कथम्how
कथम्:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
यास्यामिshall I go
यास्यामि:
Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष-एकवचन (1st person singular)
भूपतिम्to the king
भूपतिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभू (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः—भू+पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'lord of the earth'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)
अपकृष्टाremoved/dragged away
अपकृष्टा:
Kriya (विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootअप-कृष् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; अर्थः—"drawn away/removed"
अस्मिam
अस्मि:
Kriya (सहायकक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष-एकवचन (1st person singular)
तेनby him/therefore
तेन:
Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular), सर्वनाम
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular), सर्वनाम
त्रपयाwith shame/modesty
त्रपया:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रपा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)
रघुनन्दनO delight of Raghu (Rama)
रघुनन्दन:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootरघु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः—रघु+नन्दन (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'descendant/joy of Raghu'); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन
श्रीभागवान्the venerable Lord
श्रीभागवान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री (प्रातिपदिक) + भागवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः—श्री+भागवान् (कर्मधारय: 'venerable Bhagavān'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Narrator (transition marker): Śrī Bhagavān; preceding lines are spoken by an unnamed woman addressing Raghunandana (Rama epithet)

Concept: Shame born of external change; the tension between social identity and inner worth; surrendering one’s distress to a righteous guide.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya of external adornment and status; the witness-self remains untouched though the body is soiled—movement toward equanimity through right understanding.

Application: When life circumstances reduce one’s social standing, seek counsel, avoid self-contempt, and anchor identity in character rather than appearance.

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Type: threshold/approach to court

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring contrast of bodily impurity and inner dharma; exhortations to detach from external pride

R
Raghunandana
B
Bhūpati (king)

FAQs

The verse frames impurity (sweat and filth) as a symbol of loss of dignity and inner decline, highlighting how moral or situational degradation produces shame and reluctance to face authority.

By emphasizing a fall from ornamented status to a soiled condition, it mirrors the Purana’s broader motif that circumstances can change drastically due to causes and consequences, preparing the listener for teachings on karmic outcomes.

Maintain personal cleanliness and ethical conduct, and recognize early signs of decline (habits or choices) that lead to loss of self-respect—correcting them before they become irreversible.