Shloka 23

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

मृगाणां वद पृष्ठेषु मूढ कृष्णाजिनं न किम् येषां मया त्वया चोग्राः प्रहिताः शितसायकाः

Transliteration

mṛgāṇāṃ vada pṛṣṭheṣu mūḍha kṛṣṇājinaṃ na kim yeṣāṃ mayā tvayā cogrāḥ prahitāḥ śitasāyakāḥ

Translation

“Fool—on the backs of deer, is there not the black antelope-skin? Upon those very creatures, you and I have loosed fierce, razor-pointed arrows.”

Word by Word

• मृगाणाम्: of deer
• मृगाणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular, speak/tell)

• पृष्ठेषु: on the backs
• पृष्ठेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Locative, Plural)

• मूढ: O fool
• मूढ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक; from मुह् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative, Singular)

• कृष्णाजिनम्: black antelope skin
• कृष्णाजिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णाजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कृष्णं अजिनम् (कर्मधारय)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Predicate object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); प्रश्नार्थक

• येषाम्: of which/whose
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Relational/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural; relative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• उग्राः: fierce
• उग्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• प्रहिताः: sent, discharged
• प्रहिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु) + त (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• शितसायकाः: sharp arrows
• शितसायकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक) + सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—शिताः सायकाः (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Uncertain from single-verse input (likely a human interlocutor in a moral/narrative episode; Vishnu Purana dialogue frame is Parasara narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A symbol of asceticism becomes morally hollow when paired with cruelty; one cannot claim purity while practicing violence against the innocent.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Audit one’s lifestyle for contradictions between spiritual identity and harmful habits; align means with stated values.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethics as devotion-in-action: the Lord is served through non-injury and congruence of inner intent and outer conduct, not by mere insignia.

Characters & Entities

• Deer (mṛga)
• Black antelope-skin (kṛṣṇājina)

FAQs

What is the significance of kṛṣṇājina (black antelope-skin) in the Vishnu Purana context?

It symbolizes ascetic or ritual identity, but this verse critiques acquiring such symbols through harming living beings, highlighting the gap between external marks and true dharma.

How does Sage Parasara explain moral decline in Kali-yuga through such examples?

Through pointed narratives that expose hypocrisy—people pursue the appearance of righteousness while committing unethical acts—illustrating how dharma weakens in Kali-yuga.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this ethical context?

Vishnu stands as the upholder of cosmic order (dharma); the verse underscores that alignment with dharma is not mere display but conduct that accords with the sustaining order Vishnu represents.