Shloka 19

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

केशाङ्गारांस्तथा भस्म भुजङ्गान्निर्जलां नदीम् ।

दृष्ट्वा स्वप्ने दशाहात्तु मृत्युरेकादशे दिने ॥

Transliteration

keśāṅgārāṃstathā bhasma bhujaṅgānnirjalāṃ nadīm / dṛṣṭvā svapne daśāhāttu mṛtyurekādaśe dine

Translation

إذا رأى المرءُ في المنام أن شعره صار جمرًا أو رمادًا أو أفاعي، أو رأى نهرًا بلا ماء—فبعد عشرة أيام تأتيه المنية في اليوم الحادي عشر.

Word by Word

• keśa-aṅgārān: hair-like coals / coals (of hair)
• keśa-aṅgārān: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa + aṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (‘hair-coals’/coals like hair)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (अव्यय)

• bhasma: ashes
• bhasma: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (or indeclinable-like neuter usage)

• bhujaṅgān: snakes
• bhujaṅgān: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural

• nirjalām: waterless
• nirjalām: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘nadīm’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-jala (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with ‘nadīm’

• nadīm: a river
• nadīm: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• svapne: in a dream
• svapne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• daśa-ahāt: from ten days (i.e., after ten days)
• daśa-ahāt: Apādāna (अपादान) / time-from (काल-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + ahan (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular; द्विगु-समासः (‘ten days’)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• mṛtyuḥ: death
• mṛtyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (elliptic: ‘death (comes)’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• ekādaśe: on the eleventh
• ekādaśe: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘dine’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; numeral adjective qualifying ‘dine’

• dine: day
• dine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

Speakers

• Dialogue-frame not explicit in the provided excerpt; impersonal prognostic teaching

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Omens
• Dream interpretation
• Time-to-death prognostication

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘countdown’ motif urges immediate settling of obligations—charity, forgiveness, truth-speaking, and remembrance of the divine—before time runs out.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/niyama material rather than the five hallmark topics; it functions as practical instruction within the Purāṇic compendium.

What is the esoteric significance?

Hair-to-embers/ash suggests the ‘burning up’ of vitality; serpents can signify karmic bindings; a dry river symbolizes prāṇa and rasa (life-sap) withdrawing.