Shloka 53

Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory

Sanskrit

आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः ।

किं दारैः किं सुतैर्नाथ धनैर्धान्यैरथापि वा ॥

Transliteration

ānṛśaṃsyaṃ paro dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ / kiṃ dāraiḥ kiṃ sutair nātha dhanair dhānyair athāpi vā

Translation

อหิงสา (ความยับยั้งด้วยเมตตา) เป็นธรรมสูงสุด—โดยเฉพาะสำหรับกษัตริย์นักรบ. ข้าแต่พระองค์ หากละทิ้งธรรมนั้นแล้ว ภรรยาจะมีประโยชน์ใด บุตรจะมีประโยชน์ใด และทรัพย์กับธัญญาหารจะมีประโยชน์ใดเล่า?

Word by Word

• आनृशंस्यम्: non-cruelty, compassion
• आनृशंस्यम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनृशंस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (abstract noun)

• परः: supreme
• परः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with धर्मः

• धर्मः: duty, righteousness
• धर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: विशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: कर्म (Karma/Implied object in ellipsis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun used idiomatically ‘what (use)?’

• दारैः: with wives
• दारैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; in ‘what with...?’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: कर्म (Karma/Implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; repetition for parallelism

• सुतैः: with sons
• सुतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• नाथ: O lord
• नाथ: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative

• धनैः: with wealth
• धनैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• धान्यैः: with grain
• धान्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• अथ: and / or else
• अथ: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक (particle: ‘and/then’)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

Speakers

• Not explicitly identifiable from the single verse alone (requires surrounding verses); verse is in direct-address style ('nātha')
• suggesting a counsel/admonition within a dialogue

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Kshatriya ethics
• Compassion / non-cruelty
• Detachment from worldly supports (family/wealth) when opposed to righteousness

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts that the warrior-ruler’s true excellence is not mere valor but compassionate restraint. For a kṣatriya—who holds power over life, punishment, and protection—ānṛśaṃsya (non-cruel, humane conduct) is proclaimed the supreme duty. The rhetorical dismissal of wife, children, wealth, and grain underscores that social status and prosperity are hollow if dharma is violated; protection and governance must be rooted in mercy and justice rather than brutality.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse aligns most closely with "Vaṃśānucarita" in the broad sense of social-ethical norms tied to the kṣatriya role within dynastic life, and secondarily with Purāṇic "Dharma-śikṣā" (instruction on righteous conduct), which often accompanies genealogical and narrative material. It is not a direct instance of Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara in this standalone line.

What is the esoteric significance?

Esoterically, the verse treats power (kṣatra) as a test of inner mastery: the true "victory" is conquest of cruelty within oneself. Wives, sons, wealth, and food symbolize the supports of embodied life; the teaching implies that without dharma these supports become binding and ultimately meaningless. Compassion is thus presented as the inner royal consecration—an ethical tapas that sanctifies worldly authority.