Shloka 41

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

दृष्ट्वारिष्टं तथा योगी त्यक्त्वा मरणजं भयम् ।

तत्स्वभावं तदालोक्य काले यावत्युपागतम् ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā ariṣṭaṃ tathā yogī tyaktvā maraṇajaṃ bhayam / tatsvabhāvaṃ tad ālokya kāle yāvaty upāgatam

Translation

Ainsi, ayant vu le présage, le yogin, abandonnant la peur née de la mort, doit en examiner la nature et observer jusqu’à quel point ce temps s’est approché.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• अरिष्टम्: misfortune/omen
• अरिष्टम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)

• योगी: the yogi
• योगी: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• मरणजम्: arising from death
• मरणजम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of भयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरणज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: मरणात् जातम् (born of death)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: कर्म (Object of त्यक्त्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; refers to अरिष्टम्

• स्वभावम्: (its) inherent nature
• स्वभावम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः/तत्पुरुषसदृशः: स्वः भावः यस्य/स्वस्य भावः (one’s own nature)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; ‘that’ (again, referring to arishta)

• आलोक्य: having examined
• आलोक्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having looked at/considered’

• काले: in time, at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc.), एकवचन; ‘in/at time’

• यावति: at which (time), as much as
• यावति: विशेषण (Qualifier of काले)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc.), एकवचन; correlatives: ‘as far as/when’ (agreeing with काले)

• उपागतम्: having come, arrived
• उपागतम्: विशेषण/विधेय (Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘arrived/come’ (qualifying implied ‘arishta’ or ‘time’)

Speakers

• Instructional voice addressing King Alarka (ālarka)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Death-awareness
• Non-fear
• Discernment of signs

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Fear of death is treated as an obstacle to clear seeing; the yogin replaces panic with inquiry—what is the sign’s nature, and what is the practical spiritual response now?

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A teaching on mokṣa-sādhana within narrative instruction, outside the formal five-lakṣaṇa taxonomy.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Approach of time’ can denote the tightening of prāṇa and sensory withdrawal that precede transformation; the yogin uses these thresholds to enter deeper absorption.