Shloka 14

Adhyaya 16 — The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

Sanskrit

पुत्र उवाच कौशिको ब्राह्मणः कश्चित् प्रतिष्ठानेऽभवत् पुरे । सोऽन्यजन्मकृतैः पापैः कुष्ठरोगातुरोऽभवत् ॥

Transliteration

putra uvāca kauśiko brāhmaṇaḥ kaścit pratiṣṭhāne 'bhavat pure / so 'nyajanmakṛtaiḥ pāpaiḥ kuṣṭharogāturo 'bhavat

Translation

بیٹے نے کہا— پرَتِشٹھان شہر میں کوشک نام کا ایک برہمن تھا۔ پچھلے جنم کے گناہوں کے سبب وہ جذام (کوڑھ) میں مبتلا ہو گیا۔

Word by Word

• पुत्रः: the son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कौशिकः: Kauśika
• कौशिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (apposition/predicate)

• कश्चित्: a certain (one)
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

• प्रतिष्ठाने: in Pratiṣṭhāna
• प्रतिष्ठाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• अभवत्: was/existed
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• अन्यजन्मकृतैः: done in another birth
• अन्यजन्मकृतैः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य-जन्म-कृत (प्रातिपदिक: अन्य + जन्म + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण; करण/हेतु-निर्देश (instrumental of cause)

• पापैः: by sins
• पापैः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/हेतु

• कुष्ठरोगातुरः: afflicted with leprosy-disease
• कुष्ठरोगातुरः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुष्ठ-रोग-आतुर (प्रातिपदिक: कुष्ठ + रोग + आतुर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Son → Father (continuing the frame dialogue; son narrates)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Karma and rebirth
• Suffering as karmic fruition
• Didactic storytelling

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The narrative frames bodily affliction as karma-phala (result of prior actions), preparing the reader for an ethical contrast between external impurity (disease) and internal virtue (the wife’s devotion).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This is chiefly vaṃśānucarita/ākhyāna (exemplary narrative) rather than cosmological categories; it supports dharma-śikṣā through story.

What is the esoteric significance?

Leprosy functions as a symbol of deep-seated saṃskāras (latent impurities) ripening into visible suffering—setting the stage for testing compassion, fidelity, and self-mastery.