Shloka 12

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

अनाहारः कथं शक्तो भग्नसक्थिशिरोमुखः।।3.71.12।।वज्रेणाभिहतः कालं सुदीर्घमपि जीवितुम्।

Transliteration

anāhāraḥ kathaṃ śakto bhagnasakthiśiromukhaḥ || 3.71.12 ||

vajreṇābhihataḥ kālaṃ sudīrgham api jīvitum |

Translation

ถูกสายฟ้าวัชระฟาดจนต้นขา ศีรษะ และใบหน้าแหลกสลาย แล้วเราจะอดอาหารอยู่รอดได้อย่างไรตลอดกาลอันยาวนานนั้น?

Word by Word

• anāhāraḥ: without food; fasting
• anāhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (न + आहारः)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• śaktaḥ: able, capable
• śaktaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (प्रातिपदिक; √śak धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhagna-sakthi-śiras-mukhaḥ: whose thigh, head and face are broken
• bhagna-sakthi-śiras-mukhaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagna (कृदन्त; √bhaj/भञ्ज् धातु, क्त) + sakthi (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य सक्थि-शिरो-मुखं भग्नम् सः'

• vajreṇa: by the thunderbolt
• vajreṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• abhihataḥ: struck, smitten
• abhihataḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√han (धातु) + hata (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्—'struck'

• kālam: for a time
• kālam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Temporal extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; काल-परिमाण (duration)

• sudīrgham: very long
• sudīrgham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + दीर्घः) विशेषणम् (कालय)

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (even/also)

• jīvitum: to live
• jīvitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitival purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (infinitive), परस्मैपदी धातु; अर्थः—'to live'

Context

Hit by the thunderbolt, my thigh-bones, head and face were broken. Somehow I could manage to live for a long time without food.

Characters & Entities

• vajra (thunderbolt)
• Indra (implied)
• Kabandha
• Rama

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Endurance under consequences: Dharma recognizes that suffering may persist due to prior causes, and one must bear it until the destined resolution arrives.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha marvels at his prolonged survival despite grievous injury and starvation, preparing for the explanation of Indra’s further intervention.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Titikṣā (forbearance): the capacity to endure pain and deprivation while awaiting the working-out of fate and truth.