Shloka 17

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

अवारका ह्यण्डजा वा ते ह्यधर्मप्रसूतयः ।

न मूलफलपुष्पाणि नार्तवा वत्सराणि च ॥

Transliteration

avārakā hyaṇḍajā vā te hyadharmaprasūtayaḥ /

na mūlaphalapuṣpāṇi nārtavā vatsarāṇi ca

Translation

তেওঁলোক ভোগত নিৰাবৰণ আছিল আৰু অণ্ডজ; নিশ্চয় অধৰ্মজাত। আহাৰৰ বাবে ন মূল, ন ফল, ন পুষ্প আছিল; আৰু ৰজঃপ্ৰবৃত্তি-লক্ষণযুক্ত ঋতুচক্ৰো নাছিল।

Word by Word

• avārakāḥ: unobstructed; without hindrance
• avārakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (निपात)

• aṇḍajāḥ: egg-born beings
• aṇḍajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya/conjunction (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (निपात)

• adharma-prasūtayaḥ: born of adharma (unrighteousness)
• adharma-prasūtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + prasūta (कृदन्त; √sū (धातु) + pra उपसर्ग, क्त) + i (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa: adharmāt prasūtāḥ (born from unrighteousness)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-avyaya/negation (प्रतिषेध)

• mūla-phala-puṣpāṇi: roots, fruits, and flowers
• mūla-phala-puṣpāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); Itaretara-dvandva (समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• na: nor
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-avyaya/negation (प्रतिषेध)

• ārtavāḥ: seasons/periods (ṛtus)
• ārtavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārtava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• vatsarāṇi: years
• vatsarāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya/conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purana’s cosmological account (frame-speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Anthropogony
• Dharma/Adharma
• Mythic time

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When adharma predominates, life-forms and social order arise in abnormal ways (egg-birth, lack of ordinary seasonal rhythms). The verse frames moral order (dharma) as linked to natural order (ṛtu/seasonality and regulated fertility).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Sarga/Pratisarga-style material (creation and re-creation descriptions) and also touches Manvantara-type narration insofar as it describes conditions of an age.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘No ṛtu (ārtava)’ symbolically indicates a world not governed by ṛta (cosmic law). Egg-birth can signify unmediated, non-ritualized generation—existence arising without saṃskāra (refining rites).