Shloka 16

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

शुभाशुभं समाचष्टे कुशैस्तस्याङ्गताडनम् ।

काकादिपक्षिसंस्थो 'न्यः श्वादेरङ्गगतो 'पि वा ॥

Transliteration

śubhāśubhaṃ samācaṣṭe kuśais tasyāṅga-tāḍanam | kākādi-pakṣi-saṃstho 'nyaḥ śvāder aṅga-gato 'pi vā ||

Translation

Frapper son corps avec l’herbe kuśa indique (présage) le bien ou le mal. Un autre présage se trouve chez des oiseaux tels que les corbeaux, ou même dans le contact du corps par un chien et autres semblables.

Word by Word

• शुभाशुभम्: good and bad (omens)
• शुभाशुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—‘शुभं च अशुभं च’

• समाचष्टे: indicates; tells
• समाचष्टे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कुशैः: with kuśa grass
• कुशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अङ्गताडनम्: striking/tapping of the limb
• अङ्गताडनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ताडन (प्रातिपदिक; √ताड् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘अङ्गस्य ताडनम्’ (striking of the limb)

• काकादिपक्षिसंस्थः: situated in birds like crows
• काकादिपक्षिसंस्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था + सम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘काकादि-पक्षिषु संस्थः’ (situated in/associated with birds like crows)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्वादेः: of a dog and the like
• श्वादेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘श्व-आदेः’ (of a dog etc.)

• अङ्गगतः: located in the limb
• अङ्गगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘अङ्गे गतः’ (gone to/located in the limb)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात—समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

Speakers

• Not explicit; cataloging omen-types.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Omens
• Śakuna (birds)
• Animal portents
• Ritual diagnostics (kuśa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic dharma often integrates folk-omen systems into a moral framework: signs are prompts for caution, purification, or timely action—not excuses for fatalism.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/ācāra material (supplementary).

What is the esoteric significance?

Kuśa is a purifier in Vedic rites; using it diagnostically implies that ritual purity and attentiveness can ‘read’ the subtle environment. Birds/animals symbolize instinctive nature reflecting unseen atmospheric (adhidaivika) shifts.