Shloka 3

Jatugṛha-dāhānantara-vṛttāntaḥ

Aftermath of the Lac House Fire

Devanagari script

ततः पादाववच्छाद्य पटान्तेन ससम्भ्रम: । पुत्रेति परिपूर्णार्थमब्रवीद्‌ रथसारथि:,अधिरथने अपने दोनों पैरोंको कपड़ेके छोरसे छिपा लिया और “बेटा! बेटा!” पुकारते हुए अपनेको कृतार्थ समझा

Transliteration

tataḥ pādāv avacchādya paṭāntena sasambhramaḥ | putreti paripūrṇārtham abravīd rathasārathiḥ ||

Translation

于是那车夫骤然激动，以衣角掩住双足，呼号道：“儿啊！儿啊！”他自觉夙愿已遂——只因那朴素的父子之名分得以宣认，且眼前之子亦予以承受，便令其心满足。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• पादौ: two feet
• पादौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• अवच्छाद्य: having covered
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-छद् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• पटान्तेन: with the end/hem of the cloth
• पटान्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटान्त (प्रातिपदिक) [पट + अन्त]
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ससम्भ्रमः: agitated, in haste
• ससम्भ्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्र: O son!
• पुत्र: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: Avyaya

• परिपूर्णार्थम्: as if fully fulfilled/satisfied (in purpose)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिपूर्णार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) [परिपूर्ण + अर्थ]
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular (used adverbially)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रथसारथिः: the charioteer
• रथसारथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथसारथि (प्रातिपदिक) [रथ + सारथि]
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaishampayana
• rathasārathi (charioteer)
• pādau (feet)
• paṭānta (edge of cloth)
• putra (son)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of acceptance and care: a guardian’s heartfelt recognition—calling someone “son”—can confer belonging and dignity, even amid social anxieties about status and origin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaishampayana’s narration, the charioteer (understood in context as Adhiratha) hurriedly covers his feet with his garment and repeatedly calls out “Son! Son!”, expressing intense emotion and a sense of fulfillment at receiving/accepting the child as his own.