सरमायाः शीलम्Class 9 Sanskrit Amod Chapter 13 Notes – Maharashtra Board

Summary: सरमायाः शीलम्

Long ago the Panis (पणयः), a group of demons, carried all the gods' cows off to their land. The gods sent their servant Garuda (सुपर्णः) to search; the Panis won him over with gifts and he said nothing about the cows — a betrayal of his master.

The gods then sent the dog सरमा. Fearlessly she covered the long road, crossed the river Rasa and reached the land of the Panis. She refused their hospitality, came back and reported everything. Pleased with her loyalty, Indra gave her a boon and cursed Garuda.

The पोवाडा: in his court Indra wonders whom to send — he sees no servant who is always loyal. Sarama, devoted to service and dear to the gods, is ordered by Indra (मघवान्) to recover the cattle wealth.

On the way the river Rasa is in flood. Sarama humbly asks her to become shallow so she can cross; Rasa proudly calls herself great and Sarama lowly and refuses. Sarama roars, 'See the strength of devotion to duty!', jumps in and swims across. Rasa hangs her head in shame.

Sarama finds the cows hidden in a cave. Vala and the Panis tempt her with milk, curd, ghee and a share of the cattle; she replies that she serves neither greed nor delusion but her master Indra. Insulted by them as a 'junk-eater', she closes her ears and hurries back to report.

Key points to remember

• Source: a Vedic story; form: पोवाडा (heroic ballad of Maharashtra)
• Poet: Pandit Prabhakar Bhatkhande (modern Sanskrit writer)
• पणयः stole the gods' cows; Garuda was bribed — स्वामिद्रोहः
• सरमा = the gods' dog (देवशुनी), sent by Indra (मघवान्)
• Obstacle 1: the flooded river रसा, proud and insulting
• Sarama: 'see my power — the power of devotion to duty'
• Obstacle 2: temptations — milk, curd, ghee, a share of cows
• 'सेविका नाहं लोभस्य … सेविका स्वामिनः इन्द्रस्य'
• Obstacle 3: insults; she ignored them and went to report
• Indra gave Sarama a boon and cursed Garuda

सरमायाः शीलम् – Notes

1. The background story

• The Panis stole all the gods' cows and took them to their own country. Garuda went to search, but the Panis pleased him with gifts and he kept quiet — a servant turning against his master.
• Sarama was sent next. She crossed a long, hard road and the river Rasa without fear, refused the Panis' hospitality and told the gods everything.
• Indra was pleased with her loyalty and gave her a boon; Garuda received a curse. The lesson: the glory of loyalty and of doing one's duty.
• Thinking box: think of other stories or films in which an animal helps people through its cleverness.

2. Sarama and the river Rasa

• The शाहिर (ballad singer) says Indra sees no servant who is always loyal; Sarama, devoted to service, sets out on Indra's order. The chorus repeats each line with 'हे जी जी जी'.
• The river Rasa is flooded and very swift (पृथुलरभसा), uprooting trees on its banks. Sarama bows her head and politely asks her to become shallow (गाधम् = not deep) so she can reach the other bank.
• Rasa answers proudly: I am great, you are small — I will not reduce my flow for you; get out of the way!
• Sarama roars, 'Look at my strength — the strength of devotion to duty,' jumps in and reaches the far bank. Rasa, defeated by a 'small' dog, turns her face down in shame.

3. In the land of the Panis

• On the far bank Sarama looks around, questions Vala and the Panis, enters the forest and a cave — and finds her master's entire cattle wealth shut inside. The search is over.
• As she sets off to tell Indra, the Valas stop her: drink milk, eat curd, drink ghee, stay here — we will give you a share of the cows.
• Sarama's firm reply: I am not a servant of greed or of delusion; I am the servant of my master Indra.
• Then the Panis mock her: 'This Sarama eats junk food (जारु)!' She closes both her long ears and leaves, devoted to truth. Word meanings from the book: वलम् = another name of the Panis; मघवान् = Indra.

4. लेखनकौशलम्-३ and visarga (p. 69)

• Dialogue: a harmonium (संवादिनी) and a tabla (तालवाद्यम्) after the school's Sanskrit Day programme. The tabla is tired from being beaten; the harmonium is cheerful because players press her keys gently — that is the secret of her smile.
• Essay fill-in on the computer (सङ्गणकः): needed like food today, makes many tasks easy, comes as mobile, tablet and digital calculator, needs internet and electricity, overuse causes health problems, but used well it brings progress.
• Visarga with avagraha: शिवः + अहम् = शिवोऽहम्; कः + अहम् = कोऽहम्; सः + अहम् = सोऽहम्; एरण्डः + अपि = एरण्डोऽपि; मशकः + अपि = मशकोऽपि; खद्योतः + अपि = खद्योतोऽपि.
• Unchanged: कवयः कथम् (before क); स्-form: तरुः + तावत् = तरुस्तावत्.

Who's who in the story

Key terms

सरमायाः शीलम् – Flashcards

Read the question, answer it in your head, then tap the card to check. 20 cards.

सरमायाः शीलम् – MCQ Quiz

15 questions. Tap an option — you will see at once if it is right and why.

How to study सरमायाः शीलम्

⏱ About 40 minutes

1. Story (15 min)
   Read the background, then the पोवाडा; list the three obstacles and Sarama's response to each.
2. Word work (10 min)
   Learn the book's word meanings (गाधम्, पृथुलरभसा, वलम्, जारु, मघवान्) and the visarga examples.
3. Practice (15 min)
   Do the लेखनकौशलम् fill-ins and 'Try it yourself', take the quiz and play the 🎮 Play game.