Shloka 23

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

Sanskrit

कदाचिदत्रैव पुनर्जातः स्वं कर्म सो 'श्नुते ।

कदाचिद्भुक्तकर्मा च मृतः स्वल्पेन गच्छति ॥

Transliteration

kadācid atraiva punarjātaḥ svaṃ karma so 'śnute | kadācid bhuktakarmā ca mṛtaḥ svalpena gacchati ||

Translation

Manchmal, hier (auf Erden) wiedergeboren, erfährt er die Früchte seiner eigenen Taten. Manchmal, nachdem bestimmte Karmas erschöpft sind, stirbt er und scheidet schon nach kurzer Frist dahin.

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: 'here')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'born'

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; कर्म विशेषण

• कर्म: deed/karma
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: experiences
• अश्नुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक

• भुक्तकर्मा: one who has undergone (the fruits of) karma
• भुक्तकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्त-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त 'भुक्त' (PPP of √भुज्) + कर्मन्; तत्पुरुष: भुक्तं कर्म यस्य/भुक्तं कर्म (one who has undergone karma)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• मृतः: dead/having died
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वल्पेन: with little (time/means)
• स्वल्पेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुं), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रमाणे (by a little/with little [time/means])

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in excerpt.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Karma fruition
• Rebirth on earth
• Temporal intervals between lives

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reinforces personal moral responsibility: one cannot escape one’s own karma; the variability of outcomes and intervals warns against complacency and supports steady dharmic practice.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Karmic-dharma teaching (instructional), not a direct instance of Sarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Bhuktakarma’ implies karma operates in parcels; spiritual disciplines aim to prevent new bindings (āgāmi) and burn latent stock (sañcita), shortening the compelled ‘going’ described here.