Shloka 9

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

हन्यते काकपङ्क्तीभिः पांशुवर्षेण वा नरः ।

स्वां छायामन्यथा दृष्ट्वा चतुः पञ्च स जीवति ॥

Transliteration

hanyate kākapaṅktībhiḥ pāṃśuvarṣeṇa vā naraḥ / svāṃ cchāyāmanyathā dṛṣṭvā catuḥ pañca sa jīvati

Translation

Ein Mann wird (dem Tod anheimfallend) von Schwärmen von Krähen oder von einem Staubregen niedergestreckt. Und wenn er seinen eigenen Schatten andersartig (verzerrt, unnatürlich) erscheinen sieht, lebt er nur noch vier oder fünf Tage.

Word by Word

• हन्यते: is killed/struck
• हन्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• काकपङ्क्तीभिः: by rows/flocks of crows
• काकपङ्क्तीभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: काकानाम् पङ्क्तिभिः

• पांशुवर्षेण: by a shower of dust
• पांशुवर्षेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांशु + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पांशोः वर्षेण (dust-rain)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प-सूचक (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्मणि-कर्तृ (logical agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वाम्: one’s own
• स्वाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• छायाम्: shadow
• छायाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise/abnormally
• अन्यथा: क्रिया-विशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: otherwise/abnormally)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; “having seen”

• चतुः: four
• चतुः: काल-परिमाण (measure of time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द (numeral used adverbially); “four” (years implied)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: काल-परिमाण (measure of time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द (numeral used adverbially); “five” (years implied)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Dialogue-context unspecified in given excerpt (didactic omen-listing)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Ariṣṭa (death-portents)
• Shadow-omen
• Impending death timeline

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Abnormalities in nature and perception are treated as reminders to settle obligations—reconcile conflicts, perform expiations, give gifts, and prepare the mind—rather than as mere superstition.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary instruction (upabṛṃhaṇa) rather than the five canonical Purāṇic markers; it supports dharma by prescribing awareness of liminal conditions.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘shadow’ is a traditional marker of prāṇa and embodied presence; seeing it ‘otherwise’ suggests dislocation of vitality and imminent severance between subtle and gross bodies.