Shloka 21

कुशवंशवर्णनम्

The Line of Kuśa and the Disfigurement of Kuśanābha’s Daughters by Vāyu

Devanagari script

माभूत्स कालो दुर्मेध: पितरं सत्यवादिनम्।नावमन्यस्व धर्मेण स्वयं वरमुपास्महे।।।।

Transliteration

kuśanābhasutāḥ sarvāḥ samarthās tvāṃ surottama |

sthānāc cyāvayituṃ devaṃ rakṣāmas tu tapo vayam || 1.32.20 ||

Translation

“诸天之最啊，我们皆是俱舍那婆之女；我们甚至有能力使一位天神离开其位。然而我们自我克制，以未嫁之身守护我们的苦行之力（tapas）。”

Word by Word

• मा: do not / let not
• मा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• भूत्: be/come to be
• भूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense with mā), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कालः: time/occasion
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुर्मेधः: O foolish one
• दुर्मेधः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहुव्रीहि 'दुष्टा मेधा यस्य सः'; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सत्यवादिनम्: truth-speaking
• सत्यवादिनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of पितरम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अवमन्यस्व: do not dishonour
• अवमन्यस्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्मेण: by righteousness/duty
• धर्मेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), आत्मनः-प्रयोग 'personally'

• वरम्: a bridegroom
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपास्महे: we shall serve/seek
• उपास्महे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Context

O wicked one, do not dishonour our father who always speaks the truth. He will choose the bridegrooms righteously. Do not invite death (father may be the cause of your death).

Characters & Entities

• Kuśanābha
• Vāyu
• tapas

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma includes self-restraint: even when one has the power to retaliate (through tapas), one may choose restraint to protect spiritual merit and uphold rightful conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

The maidens warn Vāyu that they possess the ascetic potency to punish, but they refrain in order to preserve their vow and merit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṣamā and saṃyama (forbearance and restraint) grounded in tapas—power governed by principle.