Shloka 7

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

तयोर्मम च यन्मात्रा बाल्ये स्तन्यं यथा मुखे ।

तथावबोधो विन्यस्तः कर्णयोरवनिपते ॥

Transliteration

tayor mama ca yan mātrā bālye stanyaṃ yathā mukhe / tathāvabodho vinyastaḥ karṇayor avanipate

Translation

„Wie unsere Mutter uns in der Kindheit Milch in den Mund legte, so legte sie auch, o Herr der Erde, Verständnis in unsere Ohren.“

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (Genitive/Locative), द्विवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (of those two)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे 'that which'

• मात्रा: by (our) mother
• मात्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• स्तन्यम्: milk (breast-milk)
• स्तन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय (comparative adverb)

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• तथा: so/in the same way
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्य-प्रकार-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• अवबोधः: understanding/knowledge
• अवबोधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवबोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• विन्यस्तः: was placed/implanted
• विन्यस्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: वि-उपसर्ग + नि-उपसर्ग; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √न्यस्/√अस् (to place); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्णयोः: in (our) two ears
• कर्णयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; अत्र सप्तमी (in the two ears)

• अवनिपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• अवनिपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: अवनि + पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Subāhu speaking to Kāśirāja

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Role of mother/teacher
• Śravaṇa (learning by hearing)
• Saṃskāra (impressions) and upbringing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Instruction received early and repeatedly can be as life-sustaining as food; the verse elevates ethical-spiritual education (śravaṇa) to the level of nourishment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Falls under dharma-śikṣā (instruction) rather than cosmological pañcalakṣaṇa; it illustrates how Purāṇas transmit dharma through exempla and family narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

Milk (anna) and instruction (śabda/jñāna) are paired: physical sustenance supports embodiment, while ‘ear-sustenance’ supports liberation—hinting at the primacy of śabda as a vehicle of awakening.