Shloka 21

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

सप्ताश्वमेधानाहृत्य राजसूयं च पार्थिवः ।

कृतिर्नाम च्युतः स्वर्गादसत्यवचनात् सकृत् ॥

Transliteration

saptāśvamedhān āhṛtya rājasūyaṃ ca pārthivaḥ |

kṛtir nāma cyutaḥ svargād asatyavacanāt sakṛt ||

Translation

Isang hari, matapos magsagawa ng pitong handog na Aśvamedha at pati ng Rājasūya, ang lalaking nagngangalang Kṛti ay nahulog mula sa langit—dahil lamang sa isang kasinungalingan na kanyang sinabi.

Word by Word

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्राय संख्या; समासपूर्वपद (seven)

• aśvamedhān: Aśvamedha sacrifices
• aśvamedhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• āhṛtya: having performed (having brought about)
• āhṛtya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā + hṛ (धातु) → āhṛtya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक (having performed/brought)

• rājasūyam: Rājasūya sacrifice
• rājasūyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājasūya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• pārthivaḥ: the king (earthly ruler)
• pārthivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kṛtiḥ: Kṛti (name of a king)
• kṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/apposition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक (particle: named)

• cyutaḥ: fallen
• cyutaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/परिणाम)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cyu (धातु) → cyuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• svargāt: from heaven
• svargāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative: from heaven)

• asatya-vacanāt: because of a false statement
• asatya-vacanāt: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a + satya + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (vacana of untruth)

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/आवृत्तिवाचक (once)

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Markandeya Purana’s instructional-historical flow (frame-speakers not explicit from the single verse alone)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satya (truthfulness)
• Karma and retribution
• Limits of ritual merit
• Royal duties

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual magnitude does not override ethical truth: even immense sacrificial merit (seven Aśvamedhas and a Rājasūya) can be nullified in its heavenly fruition by a single deliberate breach of satya. The verse sharpens the Purāṇic priority of dharma (especially truthfulness) over mere ritual accomplishment.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vaṃśānucarita (accounts of dynasties/royal exempla) used to teach Dharma; it is not directly Sarga/Pratisarga. The king’s story functions as an ethical illustration embedded in genealogical-historical narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Svarga here symbolizes the higher states gained by merit; ‘falling’ indicates instability of attainments built on external acts when inner alignment with truth is compromised. ‘Once’ (sakṛt) emphasizes the razor-edge nature of satya: a small distortion in speech can disrupt the subtle order that supports higher attainments.