Shloka 44

Adhyaya 2 — The Wise Birds

Sanskrit

स तत्र शब्दमशृणोच्चिचीकुचीति वाशताम् ।

बाल्यादस्फुटवाक्यानां विज्ञानेऽपि परे सति ॥

Transliteration

sa tatra śabdam aśṛṇoc cicīkucīti vāśatām / bālyād asphuṭavākyānāṃ vijñāne 'pi pare sati

Translation

তাত তেওঁ শিশুসুলভ “চিচীকু-চী” বুলি কান্দি থকা সিহঁতৰ শব্দ শুনিলে। যদিও তেওঁৰ বোধ পৰিণত আছিল, তথাপি শৈশৱজাত বাক্য হোৱাৰ বাবে সিহঁতৰ কথা অস্পষ্ট আছিল।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शब्दम्: a sound
• शब्दम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अशृणोत्: heard
• अशृणोत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चिचीकुचीति: “cicīkucī” (chirping sound)
• चिचीकुचीति: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Onomatopoeic qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिचीकुचीति (अनुकरणशब्द/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुकरण (onomatopoeic sound-imitative)

• वाशताम्: of (those) chirping/cries
• वाशताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाश (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘वाश’ = cry/chirp (as noun)

• बाल्यात्: from/owing to childhood
• बाल्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान/Cause-Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अस्फुटवाक्यानाम्: of indistinct utterances
• अस्फुटवाक्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्फुट-वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (अस्फुटानि वाक्यानि)

• विज्ञाने: in understanding/knowledge
• विज्ञाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: even/also)

• परे: excellent/supreme
• परे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘विज्ञाने’ इति विशेषण

• सति: when (it) exists/being (present)
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: सत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त), सप्तमी एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Markandeya Purana’s frame (not Devi Mahatmya); specific named speaker not explicit in this single verse

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Language and development
• Distinction between inner knowledge and outward expression
• Observation as a narrative device

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse separates inner capacity (vijñāna, mature understanding) from outer articulation (asphuṭa-vākya, unclear speech). Ethically and pedagogically, it cautions against judging competence solely by verbal polish; dharmic discernment (viveka) looks to essence rather than surface expression.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly an instance of sarga (creation), pratisarga (re-creation), vaṃśa (genealogies), manvantara (Manu cycles), or vaṃśānucarita (dynastic histories). It functions as narrative framing and characterization that supports the Purana’s discourse style rather than a pancalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, ‘infant-like sound’ can indicate the limitation of expression (vāc) relative to knowledge (jñāna). Even when higher insight is present, it may appear in the world as inarticulate or coded—suggesting that truth is not always immediately legible and requires a listener with sensitivity.