Question:
पानीयं पातुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कमललोचने ।
यदि दास्यसि नेच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबाम्यहम् ॥
पानीयं पातुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कमललोचने ।
यदि दास्यसि नेच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबाम्यहम् ॥
pānīyaṃ pātumicchāmi tvattaḥ kamalalocane ।
yadi dāsyasi necchāmi na dāsyasi pibāmyaham ॥
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).
After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -
यदि दास्यसि न इच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबामि अहम् ॥
pānīyaṃ pātum icchāmi tvattaḥ kamala-locane ।
yadi dāsyasi na icchāmi na dāsyasi pibāmi aham ॥
Oh, Lotus-eyed one, I would like to get a drink of water from you. If you give, I don't want it. If you won't give, I shall drink!
Well, that doesn't make any sense! How can one drink without giving, and upon giving, he doesn't want it?!!
This is a Śleṣa (श्लेष), meaning riddles based on double meanings or puns. A single word or phrase can be split or interpreted in two different ways to solve the puzzle.
The trick here is that the word दास्यसि (dāsyasi) has to be split as
दासी असि (dāsī asi) - servant, you are.
Then the meaning of the verse would change to -
Oh, Lotus-eyed one, I would like to get a drink of water from you. If you are a dāsī (a servant woman), I don't want it. If you are not a dāsī, I shall drink!
Answer:
These were the days when untouchability and caste systems were very prevalent. It was taboo to take food and water from someone who was from a lower caste or a servant. Hence, the person was confirming the lady's status. He said he would accept the drink from her hand if she were not a maid, but wouldn't accept it if she was one.
Now, that makes more sense :).
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Answer:
Now, that makes more sense :).
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