Shloka 52

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

क्लिश्यत्यहर्निशं पापो यश्च त्वां दानवाधमः ।

तमप्येनं समारुह्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ हनिष्यति ॥

Transliteration

kliśyaty aharniśaṃ pāpo yaś ca tvāṃ dānavādhamaḥ | tam apy enaṃ samāruhya dvijaśreṣṭha haniṣyati ||

Translation

دانَووں میں وہ نہایت بدکار کمینہ جو رات دن تمہیں ستاتا ہے— اے برہمنوں میں برتر، اس (گھوڑے) پر سوار ہو کر تم اسے بھی قتل کرو گے۔

Word by Word

• kliśyati: torments/afflicts
• kliśyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kliś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ahar-niśam: day and night
• ahar-niśam: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahar + niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः, क्रियाविशेषण (day and night/constantly)

• pāpaḥ: the wicked one/sinner
• pāpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• dānava-adhamaḥ: the vilest demon
• dānava-adhamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (lowest among demons)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-कार (also/even)

• enam: this one/him
• enam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: enad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• samāruhya: having mounted
• samāruhya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having mounted)

• dvijaśreṣṭha: O best of Brahmins
• dvijaśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija-śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (श्रेष्ठः द्विजः)

• haniṣyati: will kill
• haniṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Aśarīriṇī vāk addressing a dvija (likely the ascetic); narrative context also involves the king

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Removal of vighna
• Divinely enabled justice
• Protection of tapas
• Demon-slaying directive

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text legitimizes force when used to end persistent, unjust oppression that targets dharma-practice. The goal is not vengeance but the restoration of conditions for tapas and societal order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna culminating in a dharma-restoring action; it is not a manvantara/vaṃśa listing but a moralized episode typical of purāṇic instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mounting the ‘sun-given’ horse implies harnessing illumined vitality to overcome tamasic obstruction. The slaying of the demon symbolizes cutting off recurring afflictive patterns that harass the practitioner ‘day and night’.