Shloka 21
Praise of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha) and Prelude to the Greatness of Prayāga
निश्चेष्टोऽथ निरुत्साहः किं चित्तिष्ठत्यधोमुखः । लब्धसंज्ञो यदा राजा चिंतयानः पुनः पुनः
niśceṣṭo'tha nirutsāhaḥ kiṃ cittiṣṭhatyadhomukhaḥ | labdhasaṃjño yadā rājā ciṃtayānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ
แล้วเขาก็นิ่งงัน ไร้กำลังใจ ก้มหน้าลงอยู่ชั่วครู่ ครั้นพระราชาได้สติคืนมา ก็ครุ่นคิดซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่าไม่วางใจ
Narrator (context not specified in the provided excerpt)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: निश्चेष्टः + अथ → निश्चेष्टोऽथ; तिष्ठति + अधोमुखः → तिष्ठत्यधोमुखः.
FAQs
The verse depicts the king as inert and dispirited, with a downcast face; after regaining awareness, he repeatedly broods over his situation.
Indirectly, it highlights how despair can immobilize a person, while regained clarity leads to repeated self-reflection—often a turning point before decisive action or counsel in Purāṇic narratives.
From the excerpt alone, the immediate speaker cannot be identified with certainty; it appears to be narrative description rather than direct dialogue.