Shloka 3

शबलाहरणम्

The Attempted Seizure of Sabalā (Kāmadhenu) and the Triumph of Brahmic Power

Devanagari script

परित्यक्ता वसिष्ठेन किमहं सुमहात्मना।याहं राजभटैर्दीना ह्रियेय भृशदु:खिता।।।।

Transliteration

parityaktā vasiṣṭhena kim ahaṃ sumahātmanā | yāhaṃ rājabhaṭair dīnā hriyeya bhṛśaduḥkhitā ||

Translation

“难道大德的婆悉吒已弃我不顾——我这可怜而极度悲苦之人，竟被王的侍从掳走？”

Word by Word

• परित्यक्ता: abandoned
• परित्यक्ता: कर्म (Patient; 'abandoned')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु) → परित्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject: शबला)

• वसिष्ठेन: by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठेन: करण (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• किम्: why / what
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययवत् (interrogative particle: 'why?/what?')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative)

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled
• सुमहात्मना: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-महात्मन् = very great-souled); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् वसिष्ठेन

• या: who (I)
• या: सम्बन्ध (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun) referring to speaker (cow)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजभटैः: by the king's soldiers
• राजभटैः: करण (Agent/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + भट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञः भटाः = king's attendants); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दीना: wretched
• दीना: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक; √दी (धातु) क्त/न)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् अहम् (cow)

• ह्रियेय: should be carried away
• ह्रियेय: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-अर्थे (sense: 'should be carried off')

• भृशदुःखिता: greatly distressed
• भृशदुःखिता: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृश + दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक; दुःखित = √खिद् क्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (भृशं दुःखिता = greatly distressed); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् अहम्

Context

"I am being carried away by attendants of the king in this greatly distressed and pitiable condition. Have I been abandoned by the magnanimous Vasishta?

Characters & Entities

• Śabalā
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

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

Dharma includes the duty of protection and non-abandonment of those who have taken refuge (śaraṇāgata). Śabalā’s grief frames the moral wound caused by coercion.

What is the narrative situation?

Śabalā is being forcibly taken by the king’s men and wonders whether Vasiṣṭha has forsaken her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śabalā’s fidelity and trust in her protector are highlighted, along with her appeal to righteous guardianship.