Shloka 3

दितितपः-शक्रपरिचर्या-गर्भभेदः

Diti’s Penance, Indra’s Service, and the Severing of the Embryo

Devanagari script

साऽहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भं मे दातुमर्हसि।ईश्वरं शक्रहन्तारं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।1.46.3।।

Transliteration

sā'haṃ tapaś cariṣyāmi garbhaṃ me dātum arhasi | īśvaraṃ śakra-hantāraṃ tvam anujñātum arhasi || 1.46.3 ||

Translation

আমি তপস্যা করব; আপনি আমাকে গর্ভদান করতে যোগ্য। ইন্দ্রবধে সক্ষম, ঐশ্বর্যশালী পুত্রের জন্য আপনি অনুমতি দিন।

Word by Word

• सा: she/I (that woman)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; pronoun

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 1st-person pronoun

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (तपश्चरिष्यामि)

• चरिष्यामि: I shall practice
• चरिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• गर्भम्: embryo, child in the womb
• गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th Gen/Dat), एकवचन; enclitic; here दानकर्मणि सम्प्रदानार्थे (to me)

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; ‘to give’

• अर्हसि: you ought, you should
• अर्हसि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• ईश्वरम्: a lordly, powerful (one)
• ईश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies गर्भम्/पुत्रम् understood)

• शक्रहन्तारम्: slayer of Indra
• शक्रहन्तारम्: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र-हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शक्रस्य हन्ता); apposition to ईश्वरम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 2nd-person pronoun

• अनुज्ञातुम्: to permit, to consent
• अनुज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्ग: अनु; causative sense ‘to permit/consent’

• अर्हसि: you ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

Context

I shall practise austerities. You ought to grant me a son who would be the supreme ruler of the world and capable of killing Indra. You can say yes (if you will)".

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Kaśyapa
• Śakra (Indra)
• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Power gained through tapas must be governed by righteous intention; dharma evaluates not only spiritual effort but also the purpose for which it is sought.

What is the narrative situation?

Diti declares her plan to perform austerities and asks Kaśyapa to grant and approve a child destined to oppose Indra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve (dṛḍha-niścaya) is emphasized—yet the verse also frames the ethical tension between determination and harmful intent.