Shloka 22

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

मत्स्यमांसापहृत् काकः श्येनो मार्गामिषापहृत् ।

वीची काकस्त्वपहृते लवणे दधनि कृमिः ॥

Transliteration

matsyamāṃsāpahṛt kākaḥ śyeno mārgāmiṣāpahṛt | vīcīkākas tv apahṛte lavaṇe dadhani kṛmiḥ ||

Translation

Wer Fischfleisch stiehlt, wird zur Krähe; wer Wildbret stiehlt, wird zum Habicht. Wer Salz stiehlt, wird zum vīcīkāka (einer Art Krähe); und wer Quark/geronnene Milch stiehlt, wird zum Wurm.

Word by Word

• मत्स्य-मांस-अपहृत्: stealer of fish-flesh
• मत्स्य-मांस-अपहृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहृत् (कृदन्त; from धातु अप-हृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (मत्स्यमांसम् अपहरति इति = one who steals fish-flesh)

• काकः: a crow
• काकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्येनः: a hawk
• श्येनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मार्ग-आमिष-अपहृत्: stealer of meat on the road (or road-meat)
• मार्ग-आमिष-अपहृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आमिष (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहृत् (कृदन्त; from धातु अप-हृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (मार्गे आमिषम् अपहरति इति / मार्गामिषम् अपहरति इति)

• वीची: a wagtail (bird) / 'vīcī' (name of a bird)
• वीची: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काकः: a crow
• काकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अपहृते: when (it is) stolen
• अपहृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपहृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from धातु अप-हृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (when ... is stolen)

• लवणे: in/with salt (i.e., salt being stolen)
• लवणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दधनि: in/with curd (curd being stolen)
• दधनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृमिः: a worm
• कृमिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not explicit in excerpt; didactic narration

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Theft and karmic mapping
• Dietary items and ethics
• Rebirth taxonomy

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse continues the item-to-form correspondence: stealing what others depend on (salt/curd as staples and preservatives) is condemned, with rebirths that signify dependency and lowliness. It reinforces that theft is not trivial; it disrupts sustenance and social trust.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-anuśāsana/karmaphala; outside the core five lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

Bird forms (crow/hawk) represent predatory appropriation; worm form represents degradation and helpless consumption. The symbolic arc moves from active predation to passive decay, mirroring karmic ‘descent’ through repeated appropriation.