Shloka 44

The Horse’s Journey

to Cyavana’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

शत्रुघ्नस्तं मुनिं प्राह स्वामिन्नो मखसत्तमः । क्रियतां भवता पादरजसा सुपवित्रितः

Transliteration

śatrughnastaṃ muniṃ prāha svāminno makhasattamaḥ | kriyatāṃ bhavatā pādarajasā supavitritaḥ

Translation

ศัตรุฆนะกล่าวแก่ฤๅษีนั้นว่า “ข้าแต่นายท่าน ขอให้ยัญพิธีอันประเสริฐของเราถูกชำระให้บริสุทธิ์อย่างยิ่งด้วยธุลีจากพระบาทของท่าน”

Word by Word

• शत्रुघ्नः: Śatrughna
• शत्रुघ्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनिम्: the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वामिन्: O master
• स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• नः: our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; enclitic pronoun

• मख-सत्तमः: the best of sacrificers
• मख-सत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: मखानां सत्तमः (best among sacrificers)

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'let it be done'

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental: 'by you')

• पाद-रजसा: with the dust of (your) feet
• पाद-रजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: पादस्य रजसा (with the dust of (your) feet)

• सु-पवित्रितः: well-purified
• सु-पवित्रितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पवित्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; causative from √पू)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त): 'well-purified'

Speaker

Śatrughna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: शत्रुघ्नस्तं→शत्रुघ्नः तम्; स्वामिन्नो→स्वामिन् नः; पादरजसा→पाद-रजसा

Characters & Entities

• Śatrughna
• Muni (sage)

FAQs

Why is the “dust of the feet” (pāda-rajas) praised as purifying in this verse?

It expresses the Purāṇic idea that the presence and blessing of a realized sage sanctifies rituals; “foot-dust” is a devotional symbol of humility and receiving spiritual merit from holy persons.

What does this verse indicate about the proper completion of a yajña (sacrifice)?

It implies that ritual excellence is not only technical; it is perfected by purity, blessings, and the association of the spiritually accomplished—here requested directly from the sage.

What ethical lesson is conveyed by Śatrughna’s request?

The verse teaches humility and respect toward saints and teachers: even a powerful figure treats the sage as “svāmin” (master) and seeks sanctification through reverent service.