Shloka 3

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

दृष्ट्वा महीं सनगरां साम्भोनिधिसरिद्वराम् ।

रथचक्रप्रमाणां ते पुनराश्रममागताः ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā mahīṃ sa-nagarāṃ sāmbhonidhi-saridvarām | ratha-cakra-pramāṇāṃ te punar āśramam āgatāḥ ||

Translation

Sau khi chiêm ngưỡng trái đất với các thành thị, được trang điểm bởi đại dương và những dòng sông tuyệt hảo, họ—như thể đo lường nó bằng tầm của một bánh xe—đã trở lại ẩn thất.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स-नगराम्: with its cities
• स-नगराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग-सदृश/सह) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (with towns), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• स-अम्भोनिधि-सरित्-वराम्: with oceans and excellent rivers
• स-अम्भोनिधि-सरित्-वराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सह) + अम्भोनिधि + सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (with ...), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• रथ-चक्र-प्रमाणाम्: (as large) as a chariot-wheel in measure
• रथ-चक्र-प्रमाणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ + चक्र + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (measure: 'of chariot-wheel size'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महीम्)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• आश्रमम्: to the hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगताः: returned/came
• आगताः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used as past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (as 'having come')

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the frame-story context (associated with Jaimini and the Dharmapakshis’ account in early chapters)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Sacred geography
• Cosmic scale and measurement
• Hermitage/ashrama setting

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes disciplined observation and returning to the seat of inquiry (āśrama). Knowledge-gathering—seeing the world’s breadth (cities, oceans, rivers)—is framed as purposeful and contained, culminating in a return to contemplation rather than wandering for its own sake.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita. It functions as connective narrative and descriptive geography that often accompanies Purāṇic exposition, serving as a frame-device rather than a core pañcalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Measuring the earth by a chariot-wheel’ suggests compressing vast experience into a graspable unit—symbolically, the mind’s capacity to circumscribe the world through a single pramāṇa (measure). The return to the āśrama indicates reintegration: outer perception must culminate in inner assimilation.