Shloka 15

Adhyaya 9 — Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra’s Mutual Curse: The Āḍi–Baka Battle and Brahmā’s Pacification

Sanskrit

विधूय पक्षाणि बको रक्तोद्वृत्ताक्षिराहनत् ।

आडिं सोऽप्युन्नतग्रीवो बकं पद्भ्यामताडयत् ॥

Transliteration

vidhūya pakṣāṇi bako raktodvṛttākṣir āhanat /

āḍiṃ so 'py unnata-grīvo bakaṃ padbhyām atāḍayat

Translation

Baka, die Flügel schüttelnd und mit rot rollenden Augen, schlug seinen Gegner. Und auch Āḍi, den Hals hoch aufgerichtet, schlug Baka mit seinen Füßen.

Word by Word

• विधूय: having shaken off
• विधूय: Purvakāla-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धू (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), from √धू (कम्पने/धूनने) with उपसर्ग वि-

• पक्षाणि: wings
• पक्षाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• बकः: the crane (Baka)
• बकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• रक्त-उद्वृत्त-अक्षिः: whose eyes were bloodshot and bulging
• रक्त-उद्वृत्त-अक्षिः: Visheshana (विशेषण) of बकः
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः (रक्तेन उद्वृत्ते अक्षिणी यस्य)

• आहनत्: struck
• आहनत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; √हन् (हिंसायाम्) with उपसर्ग आ-

• आडिम्: Āḍi (name)
• आडिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आडि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name/object

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन) सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = also/even

• उन्नत-ग्रीवः: with raised neck
• उन्नत-ग्रीवः: Visheshana (विशेषण) of सः
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्नत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः (उन्नता ग्रीवा यस्य)

• बकम्: the crane (Baka)
• बकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

• पद्भ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• अताडयत्: beat/struck
• अताडयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; √ताड् (ताडने) with augment अ-

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame-speaker not explicit in this verse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Fury in combat
• Mythic hyperbole
• Symbolic animal/bird combat motifs

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text depicts how anger manifests physically (bloodshot, rolling eyes; aggressive posture). It cautions that inner agitation quickly externalizes into harm, reinforcing the Purāṇic preference for restraint and restoration of order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not a direct sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita passage; it functions as narrative ornamentation within a theological-epic section that supports the Purāṇa’s didactic arc.

What is the esoteric significance?

Baka (crane) imagery can suggest a ‘mask’ of ascetic appearance with underlying aggression (a common Indian trope), while the raised-neck posture suggests pride. The clash dramatizes egoic forces before higher intervention restores balance.