Shloka 14

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

तत्रान्धकारे सा रौही चकर्ष वसुधाधिपम् ।

पुच्छे लग्नं महाभागं कृशं धमनिसन्ततौ ॥

Transliteration

tatrāndhakāre sā rauhī cakarṣa vasudhādhipam | pucche lagnaṃ mahābhāgaṃ kṛśaṃ dhamanisantatau ||

Translation

وہاں تاریکی میں وہ رَوہی، جس کی دُم سے چمٹا ہوا زمین کا مالک تھا، اسے کھینچتی ہوئی لے گئی—وہ شریف النسب ہونے کے باوجود نحیف تھا، اور اس کی رگیں ابھری ہوئی دکھائی دیتی تھیں۔

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• andhakāre: in darkness
• andhakāre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andhakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rauhī: the Rohī fish
• rauhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rauhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• cakarṣa: dragged/pulled
• cakarṣa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vasudhā-adhipam: the lord of the earth (king)
• vasudhā-adhipam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वसुधायाः अधिपः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pucche: on the tail
• pucche: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• lagnam: clinging/attached
• lagnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lag (धातु) + na (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वसुधाधिपम् इति विशेष्यस्य); ‘लग्नम्’ = attached/clinging

• mahā-bhāgam: fortunate/noble
• mahā-bhāgam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् भोग/भागः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (राजानम् विशेषयति)

• kṛśam: emaciated/thin
• kṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (राजानम् विशेषयति)

• dhamani-santatau: in/with the web of veins (veins prominent)
• dhamani-santatau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhamanī (प्रातिपदिक) + santati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धमन्याः सन्ततिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘धमनिसन्ततौ’ = in the network/continuity of veins (i.e., with veins prominent)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (within Mārkaṇḍeya’s account)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Reversal of control (king being dragged)
• Physical depletion
• Darkness and vulnerability

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When one depends on unstable supports, agency reverses: the ‘support’ leads, and the person is led—an ethical warning about dependence and attachment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Non-Pancalakṣaṇa narrative; functions as moral-psychological storytelling.

What is the esoteric significance?

The king (ego/aham) being dragged by the ‘deer’ (mind) indicates the psyche pulling the person rather than the person governing the psyche.