Shloka 55

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

तदेतदश्वरत्नं ते मया भूप निवेदितम् ।

पुत्रमाज्ञापय तथा यथा धर्मो न लुप्यते ॥

Transliteration

tad etad aśvaratnaṃ te mayā bhūpa niveditam | putram ājñāpaya tathā yathā dharmo na lupyate ||

Translation

因此，大王，这匹如宝珠般的骏马已由我奉献于你。请教诲你的儿子，使正法（dharma）不致被违越。

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्

• aśvaratnam: the excellent horse
• aśvaratnam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva-ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhūpa: O king
• bhūpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bhūmēḥ paḥ/patiḥ)

• niveditam: has been informed/declared
• niveditam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vid (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘has been reported/informed’ (agreeing with aśvaratnam)

• putram: (your) son
• putram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ājñāpaya: command/instruct
• ājñāpaya: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√jñā (धातु) + causative (णिच्)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); causative meaning ‘cause to know/order’

• tathā: thus/in such a way
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• yathā: so that
• yathā: Upapada-sambandha (उपपद-सम्बन्ध/Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), correlating adverb ‘so that/as’

• dharmaḥ: dharma/righteous order
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• lupyate: is lost/violated
• lupyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lup (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive/intransitive sense ‘is lost/vanishes’

Speakers

• A muni (contextually: Gālava) to the king

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma (didactic)", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Transmission of responsibility
• Dharma as constraint on power
• Gift and proper use of extraordinary assets

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse ties possession to instruction: receiving a powerful 'ratna' is incomplete without educating the next generation to wield it dharmically. Authority must be transmitted with ethical boundaries.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita with embedded dharma-śikṣā (ethical instruction) typical of Purāṇic royal narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

The 'horse' can signify the senses/energy that must be guided. The injunction 'so that dharma does not lapse' mirrors yogic restraint: power without governance degenerates into disorder.