Shloka 20

Adhyaya 11 — The Son’s Discourse on Embryogenesis, Birth, and the Wheel of Saṃsāra

Sanskrit

भ्रष्टज्ञानो बालभावं ततो जन्तुः प्रपद्यते ।

ततः कौमारकावस्थां यौवनं वृद्धतामपि ॥

Transliteration

bhraṣṭajñāno bālabhāvaṃ tato jantuḥ prapadyate | tataḥ kaumārakāvasthāṃ yauvanaṃ vṛddhatām api ||

Translation

Nachdem es aus der Erkenntnis gefallen ist, tritt das Wesen in die Kindheit ein; danach gelangt es in den Knabenstand, dann in die Jugend und schließlich auch ins Alter.

Word by Word

• bhraṣṭa-jñānaḥ: one whose knowledge is lost
• bhraṣṭa-jñānaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhraṣṭa (√bhraṃś + kta, कृदन्त) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (bhraṣṭaṃ jñānaṃ yasya saḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bāla-bhāvam: the state of childhood
• bāla-bhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bālasya bhāvaḥ)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Anantarya (अनन्तर्य-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• jantuḥ: the being/creature
• jantuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• prapadyate: enters; attains
• prapadyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√pad (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Anantarya (अनन्तर्य-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kaumāra-ka-avasthām: the stage of boyhood
• kaumāra-ka-avasthām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (तद्धित-प्रत्यय) + avasthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (kaumārikā avasthā)

• yauvanam: youth
• yauvanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yauvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vṛddhatām: old age
• vṛddhatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddhatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

Speakers

• Not specified in excerpt.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Human life stages
• Impermanence
• Māyā and ignorance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The life-course is portrayed as a compelled progression under ignorance; recognizing this impermanence encourages dharmic living and pursuit of liberating insight before old age and death arrive.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic teaching about embodied existence (Sarga/Pratisarga-related instruction), not primarily Manvantara or Vaṃśa material.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘fall from knowledge’ preceding the life-stages suggests that time-bound identity (age, social role) is built upon forgetfulness of the Self; spiritual practice is a reversal—recovering what was veiled.