Shloka 3

Adhyaya 77 — Sanjna’s Withdrawal from Surya: The Birth of Yama and Yamuna, and the Emergence of Chhaya

Sanskrit

संज्ञा च रविणा दृष्टा निमीलयति लोचने ।

यतस्ततः सरोषोऽर्कः संज्ञां निष्ठुरमब्रवीत् ॥

Transliteration

saṃjñā ca raviṇā dṛṣṭā nimīlayati locane / yatas tataḥ saroṣo 'rkaḥ saṃjñāṃ niṣṭhuram abravīt

Translation

And Saṃjñā, being looked at by Ravi (the Sun), closed her eyes; therefore Arka (the Sun), angered by that, spoke harshly to Saṃjñā.

Word by Word

• संज्ञा: Saṃjñā
• संज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• रविणा: by the Sun
• रविणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दृष्टा: was seen
• दृष्टा: Kriyā (क्रिया; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग: ‘seen’

• निमीलयति: closes
• निमीलयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी + मील् (धातु; causative/णिजन्त: मीलयति)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त

• लोचने: (her) two eyes
• लोचने: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), द्विवचन

• यतः: thereupon/whereupon
• यतः: Hetu/Relation (हेतु/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/हेतु-अर्थ adverb): ‘यतः’ = ‘wherefrom/thereupon’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (ततः = ‘then/from that’)

• स-रोषः: angry
• स-रोषः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + रोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘रोषेण सहितः’ = angry

• अर्कः: the Sun
• अर्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• संज्ञाम्: Saṃjñā
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• निष्ठुरम्: harshly
• निष्ठुरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निष्ठुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative): ‘निष्ठुरम्’ = harshly

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narrative)

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (Ravi/Arka)
• Saṃjñā

Key Themes

• Mythic narrative
• Genealogy prelude
• Cosmic personifications (Sun)
• Domestic tension as cosmological motif

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The episode portrays the challenge of bearing intense brilliance: relationships require appropriate measure and accommodation; harshness arises when capacity and demand are mismatched.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita: narrative details around progenitors in the Solar line that will produce Vaivasvata Manu.

What is the esoteric significance?

Saṃjñā shutting her eyes before the Sun can symbolize the jīva’s inability to face unmediated truth; the Sun’s ‘harsh speech’ reflects the purifying, uncompromising nature of illumination.