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Shloka 13

Adhyātma-nirdeśa

Definition of Adhyātma): Mahābhūtas, Indriyas, Guṇas, and the Witness (Kṣetrajña

विहगैरुप भुक्तस्य शैलाग्रात्‌ू पतितस्य च । अग्निना चोपसयुक्तस्य कुत: संजीवनं पुनः,इनमेंसे जो मरता है, उसे या तो पक्षी खा जाते हैं या वह पर्वतके शिखरसे गिरकर चूर- चूर हो जाता है अथवा आगमें जलकर भस्म हो जाता है। ऐसी दशामें उनका पुनः जीवित होना कैसे सम्भव है?

vihagair upabhuktasya śailāgrāt patitasya ca | agninā copasayuktasya kutaḥ saṃjīvanaṃ punaḥ ||

Aquel a quien devoraron las aves, o quien cayó de una cumbre y quedó hecho añicos, o quien fue consumido por el fuego: ¿cómo podría volver a la vida? En tales condiciones, ¿qué fundamento hay para la resurrección?

विहगैःby birds
विहगैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविहग
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
उपभुक्तस्यof one that has been eaten/consumed
उपभुक्तस्य:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउपभुज्
FormPast Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
शैलाग्रात्from a mountain-peak
शैलाग्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootशैलाग्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
पतितस्यof one who has fallen
पतितस्य:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपत्
FormPast Active Participle (क्तवत्/क्त), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अग्निनाby fire
अग्निना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उपसयुक्तस्यof one who has been joined/subjected (to it), i.e., burned/consumed
उपसयुक्तस्य:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउप-सम्-युज्
FormPast Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
कुतःwhence? how?
कुतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतः
संजीवनम्revival, coming back to life
संजीवनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंजीवन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः

भरद्वाज उवाच

B
Bharadvāja
B
birds
M
mountain peak
F
fire

Educational Q&A

The verse articulates a skeptical challenge to the idea of returning to life after death by pointing to irreversible physical destruction. It sets up a philosophical inquiry into what ‘life’ or ‘self’ could mean beyond the body, and invites a response grounded in dharma, karma, and metaphysics rather than mere bodily continuity.

Bharadvāja raises an objection in a doctrinal discussion: if a body is destroyed—devoured by birds, smashed by a fall, or burned to ash—how can it be ‘revived’? The statement functions as a probing question meant to test or clarify teachings about post-mortem existence and rebirth.