Shloka 12

Uttaṅka’s Petition for Madayantī’s Divine Earrings (Maṇikuṇḍala) — Agreement, Proof, and Vigilance

Devanagari script

जग्राहाश्रूणि सुश्रोणी करेण पृथुलोचना । पितुर्नियोगाद्‌ धर्मज्ञा शिरसावनता तदा

Transliteration

jagrāhāśrūṇi suśroṇī kareṇa pṛthulocanā | piturniyogād dharmajñā śirasāvanatā tadā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：于是那位贤淑女子——腰肢纤细、双眸广大——用手拭去泪水。她明了法（dharma）之所当为，又奉父命，便低首顺从。

Word by Word

• जग्राह: took/held
• जग्राह: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), perfect (past), परस्मैपदम्, 3, singular

• अश्रूणि: tears
• अश्रूणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रु
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• सुश्रोणी: the fair-hipped woman
• सुश्रोणी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रोणी
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• करेण: with (her) hand
• करेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पृथुलोचना: the large-eyed woman
• पृथुलोचना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथुलोचना
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• पितुः: of (her) father
• पितुः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• नियोगात्: from/owing to the command
• नियोगात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• धर्मज्ञा: knowing dharma; righteous
• धर्मज्ञा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• शिरसा: with (her) head
• शिरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• अवनता: bowed down
• अवनता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-नत (नम्)
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• father (pituḥ)
• the woman described (suśroṇī, pṛthulocanā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as disciplined conduct: even amid grief, one restrains emotion and accepts rightful instruction—here, the father’s directive—expressed through humility (bowing the head).

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman, described as graceful and large-eyed, wipes her tears and, following her father’s command, lowers her head—signaling acceptance, deference, and readiness to act according to dharma.