Shloka 26

The Greatness of Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī

Rādhā’s Birth-Eighth Observance

Devanagari script

तत्रैव व्रतिभिः सार्द्धं कृत्वा सा व्रतमुत्तमम् । दैवात्सा पंचतां याता सर्पघातेन निर्मला

Transliteration

tatraiva vratibhiḥ sārddhaṃ kṛtvā sā vratamuttamam | daivātsā paṃcatāṃ yātā sarpaghātena nirmalā

Translation

وہیں، ورت دھارن کرنے والے بھکتوں کے ساتھ مل کر، اس نے وہ بہترین ورت ادا کیا۔ پھر قسمت کے حکم سے سانپ کے ڈسنے سے اس کی موت واقع ہوئی، مگر وہ پُنّیہ کے اعتبار سے پاک ہی رہی۔

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय) = 'there'

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक अव्यय) = 'indeed/just'

• vratibhiḥ: with vow-observers
• vratibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) / Sahakāri (सहकारी) (companionship instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sārddham: together with
• sārddham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (associative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārddham (अव्यय)
• Form: Postposition/adverb (सह-अर्थक अव्यय) = 'together with'

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृञ्) (धातु) → kṛtvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त) = 'having done/performed'

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) (fem. pronoun 'sā')
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttamam: excellent/best
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'vratam'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); superlative sense

• daivāt: by fate/accidentally
• daivāt: Hetu (हेतु) (cause/circumstance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daiva (प्रातिपदिक) (from deva) used adverbially
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभूत) = 'by fate/accidentally'

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) (fem. pronoun 'sā')
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paṃcatām: death (lit. the state of 'five')
• paṃcatām: Gati/Karma (कर्म) (goal/state reached with 'yātā')
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); abstract noun meaning 'state of five-ness' i.e., death (pañcatva)

• yātā: went/attained
• yātā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate with 'sā')
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या) (धातु) → yāta (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past participle (क्त) used predicatively = 'gone/attained'

• sarpa-ghātena: by a snake’s strike/bite
• sarpa-ghātena: Karaṇa (करण) (instrument/cause of death)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: sarpasya ghātaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) 'snake-bite/strike by a snake'

• nirmalā: pure/spotless
• nirmalā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'sā'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual voice within the Brahma-khaṇḍa narration; specific dialogue pair not identifiable from the single verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatraiva = tatra + eva; vratamuttamam = vratam + uttamam; daivātsā = daivāt + sā.

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this verse?

It emphasizes that sincere observance of a sacred vow (vrata) yields purity and spiritual merit, even if one's death occurs unexpectedly due to fate.

What does “pañcatāṃ yātā” mean here?

Literally “went to five-ness,” it is a common Sanskrit idiom for dying—returning the body to the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, space).

How does this verse relate to ethics and spiritual practice?

It underscores steadiness in dharma: the value of disciplined practice is not negated by unforeseen events, and inner purity is tied to intention and observance rather than the manner of death.