Shloka 18

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

Sanskrit

केचिद् गिरिनिपातेन केचिद् अम्भोधिवारिणा ।

केचिन् महीसञ्चलनात् प्रययुः प्राणिनः क्षयम् ॥

Transliteration

kecid giri-nipātena kecid ambhodhi-vāriṇā /

kecin mahī-sañcalanāt prayayuḥ prāṇinaḥ kṣayam

Translation

Some beings perished beneath falling mountains, some by the waters of the ocean, and some—because of the shaking of the earth—living creatures were brought to destruction.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (beings)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun (कश्चित्)

• गिरि-निपातेन: by the fall of mountains
• गिरि-निपातेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + निपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः निपातः)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun

• अम्भोधि-वारिणा: by ocean-water
• अम्भोधि-वारिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भोधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (अम्भोधेः वारि)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun

• मही-सञ्चलनात्: from/because of the earth’s shaking
• मही-सञ्चलनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + सञ्चलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (महेः सञ्चलनम्)

• प्रययुः: went (to)
• प्रययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural; √या (गतौ) with उपसर्ग प्र-

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन)

• क्षयम्: destruction/death
• क्षयम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

Speakers

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

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Mass suffering
• Cosmic catastrophe
• Consequences of conflict

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The innocent bear the cost of the powerful’s quarrels. The verse underscores the dharmic duty of rulers/strong beings to avoid actions that endanger the many.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Situated within narrative theology; it does not enumerate creation cycles or lineages, but serves as a moral amplification within the Purāṇic storytelling method.

What is the esoteric significance?

Three modes of destruction—impact (mountains), inundation (ocean), and instability (earthquake)—map to different forms of inner collapse: rigidity shattering, emotions flooding, and loss of grounding.