Shloka 17

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

अद्य कैकेयि दौर्भाग्यं राज्ञा ते ख्यापितं महत्‌ | आशीविष्त्त्वां संक्रुद्धश्वण्डो दशतु दुर्भगे

Transliteration

adya kaikeyi daurbhāgyaṃ rājñā te khyāpitaṃ mahat | āśīviṣṭvāṃ saṃkruddhaś caṇḍo daśatu durbhage ||

Translation

摩罗迦ṇḍeya说道：“今日啊，凯凯伊（Kaikeyī），国王已当众宣告你将遭大不幸。你这薄命的王后！倒不如让一条凶猛暴怒的毒蛇咬你一口更好。”此言含着道德上的谴责：君主的定罪与公开的责难，被描绘为比肉身之伤更为惨重，因为它玷污名誉，损折于法（dharma）中的立足。

Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• कैकेयि: O Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• दौर्भाग्यम्: misfortune
• दौर्भाग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्भाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• ख्यापितम्: has been proclaimed/announced
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्यापय्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त), Passive (resultative)

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आशीविषः: a venomous serpent
• आशीविषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशीविष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-क्रुध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past participle (क्त), Active (intransitive sense)

• चण्डः: fierce
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशतु: let (him) bite
• Type: Verb
• Root: दंश्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दुर्भगे: O unfortunate woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भगा
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• केकय-नन्दिनि: O daughter of Kekaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकयनन्दिनी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kaikeyī
• the king (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Public moral condemnation by rightful authority is depicted as a severe consequence of adharma; loss of honor and dharmic standing can be worse than physical suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya addresses Kaikeyī with harsh reproach, stating that the king has declared great misfortune for her and that it would have been preferable for her to be bitten by a fierce venomous snake—an emphatic expression of blame.