Shloka 22

Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)

Devanagari script

अभ्याशमागतांश्वान्यान्‌ खड्गेन निरकृन्तत । कांश्चिदेणान्‌ समाजघ्ने शक्‍्त्या शक्तिमतां वर:

Transliteration

abhyāśam āgatān śvān anyān khaḍgena nirakṛntata | kāṁścid eṇān samājaghne śaktyā śaktimatāṁ varaḥ ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า—สัตว์ที่เข้ามาใกล้ ไม่ว่าหมาหรือสัตว์อื่น ๆ พระองค์ทรงฟันขาดด้วยพระแสงดาบ ส่วนละมั่งบางตัว พระราชาผู้เลิศในหมู่นักรบทรงสังหารด้วย ‘ศักติ’ คือหอก

Word by Word

• अभ्याशम्: nearness, proximity
• अभ्याशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगतान्: come, arrived
• आगतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• श्वान्: dogs
• श्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• खड्गेन: with a sword
• खड्गेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निरकृन्तत: cut down, severed
• निरकृन्तत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√कृत् (छेदने) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• कांश्चित्: some (of them)
• कांश्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• एणान्: antelopes/deer (of the eṇa kind)
• एणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समाजघ्ने: struck down, killed
• समाजघ्ने: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√हन् (हिंसायाम्) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• शक्त्या: with a spear/javelin (śakti weapon)
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• शक्तिमताम्: of the powerful (men)
• शक्तिमताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्तिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best, the foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duṣyanta
• śvān (dogs/wild canines)
• eṇa (antelopes/deer)
• khaḍga (sword)
• śakti (spear/javelin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights royal prowess and the kṣatriya ideal of mastering danger, while implicitly inviting reflection on restraint: power is shown through the capacity to subdue, but dharma also asks how and why violence is used.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duṣyanta is engaged in a hunt. Animals that come close are cut down with a sword, and some deer/antelopes are killed with a spear (śakti), illustrating the intensity of the hunt in the forest.