Shloka 8

सुभद्राहरणम्

Subhadrā-haraṇa: Arjuna’s Taking of Subhadrā and the Dvārakā Assembly’s Response

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणस्य प्रशान्तस्य हविर्ध्वाड्क्षै: प्रलुप्पते । शार्दूलस्य गुहां शून्यां नीच: क्रोष्टाभिमर्दति,“आज एक शान्तस्वभाव ब्राह्मणका हविष्य कौए लूटकर खा रहे हैं। नीच सियार सिंहकी सूनी गुफाको रौंद रहा है

Transliteration

brāhmaṇasya praśāntasya havirdhvāḍkṣaiḥ praluppate | śārdūlasya guhāṃ śūnyāṃ nīcaḥ kroṣṭābhimardati |

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า “วันนี้เครื่องบูชาของพราหมณ์ผู้สงบและสำรวมถูกฝูงกาแย่งชิงไปกินเสียแล้ว สุนัขจิ้งจอกต่ำช้ากำลังย่ำยีถ้ำว่างของเสือ”

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणस्यof a Brahmin

प्रशान्तस्यcalm, tranquil

हविःoblation (sacrificial offering)

ध्वाङ्क्षैःby crows

प्रलुप्यतेis plundered/robbed

शार्दूलस्यof a tiger (or lion)

गुहाम्cave

शून्याम्empty, deserted

नीचःa low (base) one

क्रोष्टाjackal

अभिमर्दतिtramples, presses down, overpowers

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

brāhmaṇa

havis (sacrificial oblation)

crows

tiger

cave/den

jackal

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses vivid animal imagery to teach that when dharma and rightful protection weaken, the gentle and deserving are harmed while the base become audacious. It warns that social and moral order must be upheld, or inversion and exploitation follow.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes ominous, upside-down signs: crows plunder a peaceful brāhmaṇa’s sacrificial offering, and a jackal tramples the tiger’s deserted den. These images function as portents of disorder and impending calamity.