Shloka 18

Adhyaya 16 — The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

Sanskrit

तथापि प्रणता भार्या तममन्यत दैवतम् । तं तथाप्यतिबीभत्सं सर्वश्रेष्ठममन्यत ॥

Transliteration

tathāpi praṇatā bhāryā tamamanyata daivatam / taṃ tathāpyatibībhatsaṃ sarvaśreṣṭhamamanyata

Translation

ฉันนั้นเอง ภรรยาผู้ภักดีถือเขาเป็นดุจเทพของตน; แม้เขาจะน่ารังเกียจยิ่งนัก นางก็ยังเห็นว่าเขาประเสริฐที่สุดในหมู่ทั้งปวง.

Word by Word

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): ‘thus/so’

• api: even/though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): concessive ‘even/though’

• praṇatā: bowed down
• praṇatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇata (कृदन्त; √nam प्र +)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘having bowed’

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• amanyata: considered/thought
• amanyata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• daivatam: a deity/divinity
• daivatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daivata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): ‘thus/so’

• api: even/though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): concessive ‘even/though’

• atibībhatsam: extremely disgusting
• atibībhatsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-bībhatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (ati + bībhatsa)

• sarvaśreṣṭham: the best of all
• sarvaśreṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sarveṣāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ)

• amanyata: considered/thought
• amanyata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Son → Father

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Steadfast devotion
• Seeing beyond external form
• Dharma under adversity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse praises constancy (dhṛti) and loyalty in duty: virtue is defined by steadiness, not by the other’s attractiveness, health, or kindness.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A moral exemplum (ākhyāna) illustrating dharma; no direct pancalakṣaṇa cosmology.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Repulsive yet best’ points to a discipline of perception—training the mind to honor dharma rather than sensory judgments (rūpa-guṇa-doṣa), an attitude aligned with yogic equanimity.