Shloka 7

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

तयोर्मम च यन्मात्रा बाल्ये स्तन्यं यथा मुखे ।

तथावबोधो विन्यस्तः कर्णयोरवनिपते ॥

Transliteration

tayor mama ca yan mātrā bālye stanyaṃ yathā mukhe / tathāvabodho vinyastaḥ karṇayor avanipate

Translation

«Así como nuestra madre puso leche en nuestras bocas en la niñez, así también, oh señor de la tierra, puso entendimiento en nuestros oídos».

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (Genitive/Locative), द्विवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (of those two)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे 'that which'

• मात्रा: by (our) mother
• मात्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• स्तन्यम्: milk (breast-milk)
• स्तन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय (comparative adverb)

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• तथा: so/in the same way
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्य-प्रकार-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• अवबोधः: understanding/knowledge
• अवबोधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवबोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• विन्यस्तः: was placed/implanted
• विन्यस्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: वि-उपसर्ग + नि-उपसर्ग; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √न्यस्/√अस् (to place); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्णयोः: in (our) two ears
• कर्णयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; अत्र सप्तमी (in the two ears)

• अवनिपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• अवनिपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: अवनि + पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Subāhu speaking to Kāśirāja

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Role of mother/teacher
• Śravaṇa (learning by hearing)
• Saṃskāra (impressions) and upbringing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Instruction received early and repeatedly can be as life-sustaining as food; the verse elevates ethical-spiritual education (śravaṇa) to the level of nourishment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Falls under dharma-śikṣā (instruction) rather than cosmological pañcalakṣaṇa; it illustrates how Purāṇas transmit dharma through exempla and family narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

Milk (anna) and instruction (śabda/jñāna) are paired: physical sustenance supports embodiment, while ‘ear-sustenance’ supports liberation—hinting at the primacy of śabda as a vehicle of awakening.