Shloka 16

The Liberation of the Lizard

Godhā-vimukti

Devanagari script

ततोऽह क्रोधसंयुक्ता वशीकरणलंभनात् अपृच्छं प्रमदा राजन्यास्त्यक्ताः पतिभिः किल ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tato'ha krodhasaṃyuktā vaśīkaraṇalaṃbhanāt apṛcchaṃ pramadā rājanyāstyaktāḥ patibhiḥ kila || 16 ||

Translation

پھر میں غصّے سے بھر کر—مسخر کرنے کا طریقہ پا لینے کے سبب—اے راجن، محل کی اُن عورتوں سے پوچھنے لگی جن کے بارے میں کہا جاتا تھا کہ شوہروں نے انہیں چھوڑ دیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थक देश/कालवाचक (then/from that)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• krodha-saṃyuktā: filled with anger
• krodha-saṃyuktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (कृदन्त, √yuj)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण

• vaśīkaraṇa-lambhanāt: from obtaining (means of) subjugation
• vaśīkaraṇa-lambhanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśīkaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + lambhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause/source)

• apṛccham: I asked
• apṛccham: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pramadāḥ: women
• pramadāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object of asking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• rājanya: O king
• rājanya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative); एकवचन

• astyaktāḥ: not abandoned
• astyaktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + tyakta (कृदन्त, √tyaj)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेधयुक्त भूतकृदन्त (not abandoned)

• patibhiḥ: by (their) husbands
• patibhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन

• kila: indeed/they say
• kila: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक/श्रुत्यर्थक निपात (particle: indeed/it is said)

Speaker

Narrator (a female voice within the story; dialogue context within Narada Purana’s Uttara-Bhaga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"karuna","emotional_journey":"Anger drives the speaker toward coercive means (enchantment/subjugation), then shifts into inquiry among wronged women, revealing shared suffering."}

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) and the pursuit of coercive control (vaśīkaraṇa) lead one into morally fraught inquiries and actions, implying that inner agitation pushes the mind away from dharmic clarity and toward harmful, karma-producing choices.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly, it contrasts bhakti’s inner discipline—humility, self-restraint, and purity of intent—with manipulative control (vaśīkaraṇa) and anger; devotion to Bhagavān is traditionally upheld as a purifier that replaces coercion with surrender and ethical conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is ethical: avoid adharmic “control” methods and manage krodha, as these disturb household harmony and produce negative outcomes.