Shloka 18

Adhyaya 6 — Balarama’s Dilemma, Drunken Wanderings in Revata’s Grove, and the Slaying of the Suta

Sanskrit

चकोरैः शातपत्रैश्च भृङ्गराजैस्तथा शुकैः । कोकिलैः कलविङ्कैश्च हारितैर् जोवजीवकैः ॥

Transliteration

cakoraiḥ śātapatraiś ca bhṛṅgarājais tathā śukaiḥ / kokilaiḥ kalaviṅkaiś ca hārītair jovajīvakaiḥ

Translation

وكانت فيه طيورُ التشاكورا (cakora)، وطيورُ الشاتاپترة (śātapatra)، وطيورُ البهرِنغَراج (bhṛṅgarāja)، والببغاوات؛ ومعها طيورُ الوقواق، وطيورُ الكلاڤينكة (kalaviṅka)، وكذلك طيورُ الهاريتة (hārīta) وطيورُ الجيڤكة (jīvaka) أيضًا.

Word by Word

• चकोरैः: with cakora birds
• चकोरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चकोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन

• शातपत्रैः: with śātapatra (birds)
• शातपत्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शातपत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भृङ्गराजैः: with bhṛṅgarāja birds
• भृङ्गराजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

• शुकैः: with parrots
• शुकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कोकिलैः: with cuckoos
• कोकिलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कलविङ्कैः: with kalaviṅka birds
• कलविङ्कैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलविङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हारितैः: with hārīta birds
• हारितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हारित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जोवजीवकैः: with jīvajīvaka birds
• जोवजीवकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जोवजीवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (पाठभेदः—जीवजीवक/जोवजीवक)

Speakers

• Narratorial description within the Markandeya Purana’s early narrative (not the Devi Mahatmyam battle-dialogue)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Sacred geography / ashrama ambiance
• Auspicious natural imagery
• Poetic cataloguing (flora/fauna)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse functions as auspicious scene-setting: a dharmic space is portrayed as harmonized with nature. In Purāṇic aesthetics, an ordered, non-violent soundscape of birds suggests sattva—an inner and outer environment conducive to tapas, study, and right conduct.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Indirectly supportive rather than a core pañcalakṣaṇa item. It does not state sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita directly; it serves narrative texture around the larger vaṃśānucarita-style storytelling and ashrama framing.

What is the esoteric significance?

Bird-calls in Sanskrit tradition often symbolize the Veda’s ‘sound’ and the mind’s movements. A chorus of varied birds can be read as multiplicity of voices resolved into a single harmonious field—hinting that diverse beings and impulses can be integrated under dharma in a purified setting.