Shloka 2

Adhyaya 89 — The Pious King

Sanskrit

भूयश्चेच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं रक्तबीजे निपातिते ।

चकाः शुम्भो यत्कर्म निशुम्भश्चातिकोपनः ॥

Transliteration

bhūyaś cecchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ raktabīje nipātite | cakā śumbho yat karma niśumbhaś cātikopanaḥ ||

Translation

আমি আরও শুনিতে ইচ্ছা করি—রক্তবীজ নিহত হইলে শুম্ভ কী করিল, এবং অতিশয় ক্রুদ্ধ নিশুম্ভ কী কার্য করিল?

Word by Word

• bhūyaḥ: again/further
• bhūyaḥ: Kāla (काल/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) → śrotum (कृदन्त; तुमुन्-प्रत्यय, infinitive)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable verbal)

• raktabīje: when Raktabīja
• raktabīje: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; ‘when/with regard to’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raktabīja (प्रातिपदिक; रक्त + बीज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• nipātite: having been felled/slain
• nipātite: Kāla (काल/Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√pat (धातु) → nipātita (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular), पुंलिङ्ग; क्तान्त used as locative absolute with raktabīje

• cakāḥ: (unclear; possibly ‘how/what then?’ depending on variant)
• cakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakā (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain reading)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (as transmitted); पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट (uncertain lexeme)

• śumbhaḥ: Śumbha
• śumbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yat: what/which
• yat: Karma (कर्म/Relative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative) कर्म पदेन सह

• karma: deed/action
• karma: Karma (कर्म/Object/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• niśumbhaḥ: Niśumbha
• niśumbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ati-kopanaḥ: exceedingly wrathful
• ati-kopanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + kopana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (niśumbhaḥ प्रति)

Speakers

• Rājā to the sage-narrator

Primary Deities

• Śumbha
• Niśumbha
• Devī (implied)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī’s campaign continues toward Śumbha-Niśumbha

Key Themes

• Narrative continuation
• Cause-and-effect in battle
• Demonic wrath after defeat

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When one form of hostility is defeated, deeper roots (pride, domination) often intensify; the verse highlights vigilance—inner adversaries can escalate after initial setbacks.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Still within Manvantara-context sacred history; it functions as narrative linkage rather than genealogical material, but remains embedded in the manvantara flow.

What is the esoteric significance?

Raktabīja’s fall (proliferation) is followed by inquiry into Śumbha/Niśumbha (egoic sovereignty and aggressive attachment), suggesting a staged conquest of inner obstacles.