Shloka 20

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

राजोवाच यद्येषा नोपभोगाय नाहाराय निशाचर ।

गृहं प्रविश्य विप्रस्य तत्किमेषा हृता त्वया ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca yady eṣā nopabhogāya nāhārāya niśācara | gṛhaṃ praviśya viprasya tat kim eṣā hṛtā tvayā ||

Translation

بادشاہ نے کہا—اے شب رو، اگر وہ نہ لذت کے لیے ہے نہ خوراک کے لیے، تو پھر برہمن کے گھر میں داخل ہو کر تم نے اسے کیوں اٹھا لیا؟

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-अव्यय)

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• upabhogāya: for enjoyment
• upabhogāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upabhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: nor/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• āhārāya: for food
• āhārāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• niśācara: O night-roamer (rākṣasa)
• niśācara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म/Object; goal entered)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + viś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), action prior to main verb

• viprasya: of the brāhmaṇa
• viprasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: then/that being so
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Inference marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Correlative particle (तत् as discourse marker = 'then/that being so')

• kim: why? / what (then)?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• hṛtā: was taken/abducted
• hṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) used predicatively; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• King to the Rākṣasa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Royal duty to question adharma
• Protection of brāhmaṇas
• Motive inquiry

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Rājadharma includes investigation, not mere punishment: the king demands motive, reflecting the ideal of protecting vulnerable households and ritual order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-centered narrative (upākhyāna) illustrating rājadharma and social protection.

What is the esoteric significance?

The king’s question represents viveka (discernment): seeing beyond surface claims (not food/sex) to subtler sabotage of dharma.