Shloka 34

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

Sanskrit

एकं तस्यास्ति कर्तव्यमसाध्यं तच्च नौ मतम् ।

हिरण्यगर्भ-गोविन्द-शर्वादीन् ईश्वरादृते ॥

Transliteration

ekaṃ tasyāsti kartavyam asādhyam tac ca nau matam | hiraṇyagarbha-govinda-śarvādīn īśvarād ṛte ||

Translation

له أمرٌ واحدٌ ينبغي أن يُنجَز، غير أنّه مستحيل—في رأينا—إلا على أيدي السادة الإلهيين مثل هيرانياغربها، وغوفيندا، وشارفا، ومن كان على شاكلتهم.

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; duty
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory)

• असाध्यम्: impossible, not achievable
• असाध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-निषेध (negated adjective)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• नौ: for us / of us
• नौ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), द्विवचन; enclitic pronoun form (for ‘of us/to us’)

• मतम्: opinion, view
• मतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘opinion/view’

• हिरण्यगर्भ: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (as member of list), एकवचन-प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense ‘golden-wombed’ (proper name)

• गोविन्द: Govinda
• गोविन्द: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + विन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (member of compound list); proper name

• शर्वादीन्: Śarva and others
• शर्वादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन; ‘Śarva and others’ (ādi)

• ईश्वरात्: from/than the Lord
• ईश्वरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• ऋते: except, without
• ऋते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने (except/without), usually with ablative

Speakers

• Continuing dialogue; speaker not explicitly labeled here (label appears at 20.35).

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā)
• Govinda (Viṣṇu)
• Śarva (Śiva)

Key Themes

• Puruṣakāra (human effort)
• Theology
• Limits of agency
• Īśvara

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text balances human striving with acknowledgment of metaphysical limits: most aims are attainable through resolve, but certain cosmic acts belong to Īśvara-level beings. This discourages despair (by affirming attainability) and also curbs hubris (by marking boundaries).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Not a direct pancalakṣaṇa passage; it is theological-ethical instruction that frames human agency vis-à-vis divine agency.

What is the esoteric significance?

By naming Brahmā/Viṣṇu/Śiva epithets, the verse points to tiers of causality: individual effort operates within the created order, while the highest causal functions (creation/sustenance/dissolution) are attributed to Īśvara principles.