Shloka 19

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

पुत्रावूचतुः पुत्रः शत्रुजितस्तात नाम्ना ख्यात ऋतध्वजः ।

रूपवानार्जवोपेतः शूरो मानी प्रियंवदः ॥

Transliteration

putrāv ūcatuḥ putraḥ śatrujitas tāta nāmnā khyāta ṛtadhvajaḥ |

rūpavān ārjavopetaḥ śūro mānī priyaṃvadaḥ ||

Translation

Các con thưa: “Thưa phụ thân, người ấy là con trai của Śatrujit, nổi danh với tên Ṛtadhvaja—tuấn tú, ngay thẳng, anh hùng, khí phách cao, và lời nói dịu ngọt.”

Word by Word

• putrau: the two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ūcatuḥ: said (the two)
• ūcatuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• putraḥ: a son
• putraḥ: Pratijñā/Topic (प्रस्ताव्य/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śatrujitaḥ: Enemy-conqueror (name/epithet)
• śatrujitaḥ: Viśeṣya-nāma (विशेष्य/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + jit (√ji धातु, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘śatrūn jitaḥ’ (conqueror of enemies); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāta: O father
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• khyātaḥ: known, famed
• khyātaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyā (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Ṛtadhvaja (name)
• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Viśeṣya-nāma (विशेष्य/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘ṛtasya dhvajaḥ’ (whose banner is truth / truth-bannered); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rūpavān: handsome
• rūpavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Possessive adjective (वत्त्वर्थक), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārjava-upetaḥ: endowed with honesty
• ārjava-upetaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārjava (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (√i धातु, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘ārjavena upetaḥ’ (endowed with straightforwardness); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śūraḥ: brave
• śūraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mānī: proud, self-respecting
• mānī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• priyaṃvadaḥ: sweet-spoken
• priyaṃvadaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyam (प्रातिपदिक) + vada (√vad धातु, कर्तृ)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘priyaṃ vadati’ (speaks pleasantly); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Nāga-sons to their father (reported by Jaḍa)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Eulogy of virtue
• Genealogical identification
• Ideal royal qualities

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The attraction is grounded not merely in pleasure but in perceived guṇa (virtue): beauty is listed, yet moral qualities (ārjava, priya-vāda) are emphasized—suggesting that true affection is drawn to dhārmic character.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Touches vaṃśa (lineage: ‘son of Śatrujit’) and vaṃśānucarita (characterization of a royal figure), but remains within a local narrative unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘banner of ṛta’ (ṛta-dhvaja) symbolically points to alignment with cosmic order (ṛta): the psyche naturally gravitates toward harmony and truth when it is not fully obscured by tamas.