Shloka 38

Adhyaya 61 — The Second Manvantara Begins: The Brahmin’s Swift Journey and Varuthini’s Temptation on Himavat

Sanskrit

अहोऽस्य रूपमाधुर्यमहोऽस्य ललिता गतिः । अहो गम्भीरता दृष्टेः कुतोऽस्य सदृशो भुवि ॥

Transliteration

aho 'sya rūpamādhuryam aho 'sya lalitā gatiḥ / aho gambhīratā dṛṣṭeḥ kuto 'sya sadṛśo bhuvi

Translation

«Ach, wie süß ist seine Schönheit! Ach, wie anmutig ist sein Gang! Ach, wie tief ist der Ernst seines Blickes! Wo auf Erden gibt es jemanden wie ihn?»

Word by Word

• अहो: ah! oh! (wonder)
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; vismayārthaka-nipāta (interjection of wonder)

• अस्य: of him/this one
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• रूप-माधुर्यम्: sweetness of (his) form/beauty
• रूप-माधुर्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + माधुर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रूपस्य माधुर्यम्)

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; vismayārthaka-nipāta

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ललिता: graceful, charming
• ललिता: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ललित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying ‘गतिḥ’

• गतिः: gait, movement
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; vismayārthaka-nipāta

• गम्भीरता: depth, gravity
• गम्भीरता: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम्भीरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• दृष्टेः: of (his) glance
• दृष्टेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• कुतः: whence? how (could there be)?
• कुतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb (praśnārthaka)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• सदृशः: similar, like (him)
• सदृशः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used substantively ‘one similar’

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speakers

• Narrative voice reporting the thoughts of a divyayoṣit (celestial woman)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Kāma (desire)
• Astonishment at beauty
• Inner monologue
• Comparative praise (atiśayokti)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse illustrates how the senses and mind rapidly construct fascination through perceived beauty, gait, and gaze—showing the momentum of kāma before discernment (viveka) intervenes. It is a narrative warning-sign: admiration can quickly become attachment.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Ākhyāna/Upākhyāna (narrative episode) rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita; it functions as moral-psychological narration within the Purāṇic storytelling mode.

What is the esoteric significance?

Beauty (rūpa), movement (gati), and gaze (dṛṣṭi) can be read as the three doors through which saṃskāras are activated; the ‘depth of gaze’ hints at the binding power of attention (dhyāna) when misdirected into desire.