Shloka 116

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

Sanskrit

महामहिषकारीषगोशकृद्राशिसङ्कुलम् ।

तदुत्थभस्मकूटैश्च वृतं सास्थिभिरुन्नतैः ॥

Transliteration

mahā-mahiṣa-kārīṣa-gośakṛd-rāśi-saṅkulam /

taduttha-bhasma-kūṭaiś ca vṛtaṃ sāsthibhir unnataiḥ

Translation

وہ جگہ بڑے بھینسوں اور گایوں کے گوبر کے ڈھیروں سے بھری تھی؛ اور اسی سے اٹھنے والی راکھ کے ٹیلوں اور بلند ہڈیوں کے انباروں نے اسے چاروں طرف سے گھیر رکھا تھا۔

Word by Word

• महामहिषकारीषगोशकृद्राशिसङ्कुलम्: filled with heaps of great-buffalo dung and cow-dung
• महामहिषकारीषगोशकृद्राशिसङ्कुलम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामहिष (प्रातिपदिक) + करीष (प्रातिपदिक) + गोशकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + राशि (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd); एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (X-राशि-सम्बन्धी सङ्कुलम् = filled with heaps of dung of great buffaloes and cow-dung)

• तदुत्थभस्मकूटैः: with heaps of ash arising from that
• तदुत्थभस्मकूटैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया); बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; तत्पुरुष (तस्मात् उत्थं भस्म, तस्य कूटाः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वृतम्: covered; surrounded
• वृतम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृदन्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन — PPP used predicatively (covered/surrounded)

• स: together with
• स: सहकारक (Associative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थे)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (with; together) — here joined in sandhi with following noun

• अस्थिभिः: with bones
• अस्थिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया); बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• उन्नतैः: raised; protruding
• उन्नतैः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुं/नपुं; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया); बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण of अस्थिभिः

Speakers

• Narratorial description

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Śmaśāna setting
• Impurity motifs
• Graphic realism in Purāṇic narrative

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The scene underscores the body’s fate—ash and bone—countering pride and attachment; it implicitly urges restraint, charity, and dharmic living before inevitable decay.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary narrative detail (ākhyāna) rather than pañcalakṣaṇa doctrine; it serves as a moral and emotional frame.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ash and bones are memento mori symbols; they can also indicate the ‘burnt’ residues of karma when consciousness is not purified—what remains after life’s fire.