Shloka 22

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

विन्ध्यस्य शिखरे तिष्ठन् पत्रिपत्रेरितेन वै ।

पतितोऽस्मि महाभाग श्वसनेनातिरंहसा ॥

Transliteration

vindhyasya śikhare tiṣṭhan patripatreritena vai / patito 'smi mahābhāga śvasanenātiraṃhasā

Translation

وبينما كنتُ واقفًا على ذروة جبال فيندهيا، أصابتني (أو دفعتني) زوبعةٌ من خفق الأجنحة، فسقطتُ، يا صاحب الحظ، بسبب هبّة ريحٍ تتحرك بقوةٍ عظيمة.

Word by Word

• विन्ध्यस्य: of (Mount) Vindhya
• विन्ध्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शिखरे: on the peak
• शिखरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पत्रिपत्रेरितेन: by that which was driven/caused by wing-beating
• पत्रिपत्रेरितेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत्रि-पत्र-ईरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—पत्रि(=पक्षी) + पत्र(=पक्ष) + ईरित (impelled by wing-beating / by a bird’s wings)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• श्वसनेन: by the wind/breath
• श्वसनेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अतिरंहसा: with excessive speed
• अतिरंहसा: Karaṇa/Manner (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with great speed’ (instrumental of manner)

Speakers

• Unclear from the single verse in isolation (depends on edition’s narrative segmentation); a speaker reports having fallen from the Vindhya peak and addresses a listener as 'mahābhāga'.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Misfortune and causality
• Nature imagery (wind, mountains)
• Appeal to a respected interlocutor

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse underscores human (or creaturely) vulnerability to sudden forces in nature, setting a tone of humility and dependence on wise counsel. It functions ethically as a prompt toward seeking guidance after unforeseen calamity rather than reacting with pride or blame.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly a Pancalakṣaṇa unit (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It belongs to the narrative/frame material that supports later teachings and episodes rather than presenting creation, genealogies, or manvantara chronology.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the 'peak of the Vindhya' can represent a high standpoint (pride, attainment, or security), while the sudden gust/wing-beat suggests the disruptive power of unseen causes (karma, time, fate). The fall becomes an inward cue: stability based on externals is fragile, and true refuge lies in discernment and dharma.