Shloka 9
Adhyāya 6: Vidura’s Saṃsāra-Upamā
The Allegory of the Well, Time, and Desire
Devanagari script
कूपमध्ये च या जाता वल्ली यत्र स मानव: । प्रताने लम्बते लग्नो जीविताशा शरीरिणाम्,कुँएके मध्यभागमें जो लता उत्पन्न हुई बतायी गयी है, जिसको पकड़कर वह मनुष्य लटक रहा है, वह देहधारियोंके जीवनकी आशा ही है
Transliteration
kūpa-madhye ca yā jātā vallī yatra sa mānavaḥ | pratāne lambate lagno jīvitāśā śarīriṇām ||
Translation
That creeper which has sprung up in the middle of the well—clinging to whose spreading tendril the man hangs suspended—represents the embodied being’s very hope of continuing life, a fragile support amid peril.
Word by Word
कूपin the well
कूप:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकूप
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
मध्येin the middle
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमध्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
याwhich (she)
या:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
जाताborn/arisen
जाता:
TypeVerb
Root√जन्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular
वल्लीcreeper/vine
वल्ली:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवल्ली
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र
सःthat/he
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मानवःman/human
मानवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रतानेon the spreading tendril/extension
प्रताने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रतान
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
लम्बतेhangs
लम्बते:
TypeVerb
Root√लम्ब्
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
लग्नःclinging/attached
लग्नः:
TypeVerb
Root√लग्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
जीविताशाhope of life
जीविताशा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजीवित-आशा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
शरीरिणाम्of embodied beings
शरीरिणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootशरीरिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
Speaker
विदुर उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
ViduraK
kūpa (well)V
vallī (creeper/vine)P
pratāna (tendril)Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes