Shloka 75

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

तथा मध्ये हुतवहः पृथ्वी सोमश्च वै द्विज ।

मेषादयस्त्रयो मध्ये मुखे द्वौ मिथुनादिकौ ॥

Transliteration

tathā madhye hutavahaḥ pṛthvī somaśca vai dvija / meṣādayastrayo madhye mukhe dvau mithunādikau

Translation

Und in der Mitte sind Feuer (Agni), Erde und auch Soma, o Zweimalgeborener. In der Mitte befinden sich die drei Zeichen, beginnend mit Widder; und am Mund die zwei, beginnend mit Zwillinge.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• हुतवहः: Agni (fire)
• हुतवहः: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुतवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पृथ्वी: Earth
• पृथ्वी: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject; coordinate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सोमः: Soma (Moon)
• सोमः: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject; coordinate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निपात (emphatic particle)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मेषादयः: those beginning with Aries (zodiac signs)
• मेषादयः: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मेषः आदिः येषाम् (those beginning with Aries)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण—‘मेषादयः’

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

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

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण—(मिथुनादिकौ)

• मिथुनादिकौ: the two beginning with Gemini
• मिथुनादिकौ: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मिथुनम् आदिः ययोः (the two beginning with Gemini)

Speakers

• Continuing cosmological exposition; address to a dvija indicates an instructional tone

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Agni
• Soma
• Viṣṇu (as Kūrmāvatāra, implied)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Jyotiṣa (rāśi placement)
• Body-mandala symbolism

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The cosmos is taught as an ordered sacrificial body: Agni and Soma (key Vedic poles of sacrifice) occupy the center, implying that ritual order mirrors cosmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is cosmographic detail within Sarga/Pratisarga-style exposition—describing how cosmic components are arranged.

What is the esoteric significance?

Placing Agni-Soma at the ‘middle’ evokes the inner altar (antar-yajña): the practitioner’s body and the cosmic body are homologized through a zodiacal-sacrificial map.