Shloka 3

Guru’s Instruction on Dream, Mind, Guṇas, and Knowing Brahman

Svapna–Manas–Guṇa–Brahma-vicāra

Devanagari script

तिर्यग्योनिगतं रूपं कथं धारितवान्‌ प्रभु: । केन कार्यनिसर्गेण तमाख्याहि महाबल,महाबली पितामह! सम्पूर्ण जगतके प्रभु होकर भी इन्होंने किस निमित्तसे तिर्यग्योनिमें जन्म ग्रहण किया; यह मुझे बताइये

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: tiryagyonigataṃ rūpaṃ kathaṃ dhāritavān prabhuḥ | kena kāryanisargeṇa tam ākhyāhi mahābala, mahābalī pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “How did the Lord assume a form that has entered an animal womb? By what purpose and causal necessity did he take birth among the lower species? O mighty one—O grandsire of great power—tell me this.”

Word by Word

तिर्यक्obliquely; (as qualifier) in the animal realm

योनि-गतंgone into a womb/species (i.e., born in a species)

रूपंform

कथंhow?

धारितवान्has borne/assumed

प्रभुःthe Lord/master

केनby what?; for what reason?

कार्य-निसर्गेणby what purpose/necessity (lit. by the nature of the task/purpose)

तम्that (matter)/him

आख्याहिtell; explain

महाबलO great-strong one

महाबलीO very mighty one

पितामहO grandsire

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Prabhu (the Lord)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes