Shloka 199

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

Sanskrit

श्वपाकार्हमतो मोहं जगामायतलोचना ।

प्राप्य चेतश्च शनकैः सगद्गदमभाषत ॥

Transliteration

śvapākārham ato mohaṃ jagāmāyata-locanā |

prāpya cetaś ca śanakaiḥ sa-gadgadam abhāṣata ||

Translation

Vì thế, người nữ mắt rộng rơi vào cơn bàng hoàng khi thấy chàng bị đẩy vào phận caṇḍāla. Dần dần lấy lại tỉnh trí, nàng cất lời bằng giọng nghẹn ngào.

Word by Word

• śvapāka-arham: fit for a dog-cooker (outcaste)
• śvapāka-arham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śvapāka (प्रातिपदिक) + arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (śvapākasya arham)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; causal particle (हेतु-अव्यय) = 'therefore/from that'

• moham: delusion, swoon
• moham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• jagāma: went into, fell into
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Parasmaipada; Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyata-locanā: the long-eyed woman
• āyata-locanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक) + locanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय-समास (āyatāni locanāni yasyāḥ / āyata-locanā)

• prāpya: having regained/obtained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having obtained'

• cetaḥ: consciousness, mind
• cetaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (also possible as Nominative; here object of prāpya)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• śanakaiḥ: slowly
• śanakaiḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaka (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: Adverbial instrumental plural used as avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'slowly, gently'

• sa-gadgadam: stammeringly
• sa-gadgadam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + gadgada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; adverbial accusative = 'with a stammering voice'

• abhāṣata: she spoke
• abhāṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Ātmanepada; Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

Speakers

• Narrative voice (queen’s reaction leading into her speech)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Moha (bewilderment)
• Speech hindered by grief
• Perceived pollution and social stigma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Moha arises when the mind cannot reconcile past glory with present suffering; the text shows the gradual reassembly of composure before moral protest and lament can be voiced.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative ethics (dharma-through-story), not a pañcalakṣaṇa passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Regaining cetaḥ slowly’ mirrors inner sādhanā: clarity returns stepwise after shock; speech (vāk) follows the restoration of inner order.