Shloka 18

Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti

Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science

Devanagari script

कामयामासतुस्तौ च परस्परमिति श्रुतम्‌ । स तस्यां कामसम्पन्नो यक्ष्मणा समपद्यत

Transliteration

kāmayāmāsatus tau ca parasparam iti śrutam | sa tasyāṃ kāmasampanno yakṣmaṇā samapadyata |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：“听闻那对夫妻彼此深切相思。然而国王因对她的情欲所胜，遂罹患王痨（rājayakṣmā），一种令人日渐消耗的病。”

Word by Word

• कामयामासतुः: they two desired/loved
• कामयामासतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कामय् (धातु, णिच्) / काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• परस्परम्: mutually, each other
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• श्रुतम्: heard (it is heard/it is said)
• श्रुतम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्याम्: in her / with regard to her
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कामसम्पन्नः: filled with desire, lustful
• कामसम्पन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-सम्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यक्ष्मणा: by/with consumption (disease)
• यक्ष्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• समपद्यत: fell into / became afflicted (with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत, imperfect), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Vyūṣitāśva (king)
• his wife (unnamed here)
• yakṣmā / rājayakṣmā (disease)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames excessive sensual absorption (kāma) as a force that can weaken discernment and even lead to ruin; it implicitly commends restraint and balance in household life, where affection should not become compulsive indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that the king and his wife were mutually attached, but the king’s intense sexual preoccupation with her results in his being afflicted by yakṣmā (rājayakṣmā), a wasting illness.