Mahabharata 1.173.9 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 173, Shloka 9

कल्माषपाद-शाप-कारणम्

Cause of Kalmāṣapāda’s Niyoga under a Curse

Devanagari script

वारिणा च सुशीतेन शिरस्तस्याभ्यषेचयत्‌ । अस्फुटन्मुकुटं राज्ञ: पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना

Transliteration

vāriṇā ca suśītena śirastasya abhyasecayat | asphuṭan mukuṭaṁ rājñaḥ puṇḍarīka-sugandhinā |

Translation

แล้วคนธรรพ์ก็พรมน้ำเย็นจัดที่หอมกลิ่นดอกบัวลงบนพระเศียรของพระราชา มงกุฎของพระองค์มิได้ร้าวหรือแตก—แสดงว่าพระองค์มิได้บาดเจ็บจากศึก

Word by Word

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सुशीतेन: very cool/cold
• सुशीतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुशीत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/of that (king)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभ्यषेचयत्: sprinkled/bathed (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्फुटत्: did not break/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्फुट्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Negative (with implied न)

• मुकुटम्: crown
• मुकुटम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना: with lotus-fragrance
• पुण्डरीकसुगन्धिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीक-सुगन्धिन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गन्धर्व (Gandharva, speaker)
• राजा (the king)
• मुकुट (diadem/crown)
• वारि (cool water)
• पुण्डरीक (lotus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights attentive observation and inference: outward signs (an unbroken crown) can indicate the absence of serious harm, and proper care (cool, lotus-scented water) reflects respectful service to a ruler.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Gandharva narrates that someone anoints/sprinkles the king’s head with cool, lotus-fragrant water; the king’s diadem remains unbroken, suggesting he was not injured in battle.