Shloka 78
Self-Knowledge and the Allegory of the Five Elements & Senses
Karma, Association, and Rebirth
दुर्गंधे पिच्छिलावर्ते पतितस्तैः स संयुतः । अंगेन व्याकुलीभूतः पंचात्मकानुवाच सः
durgaṃdhe picchilāvarte patitastaiḥ sa saṃyutaḥ | aṃgena vyākulībhūtaḥ paṃcātmakānuvāca saḥ
Tombé dans un tourbillon visqueux et fétide, enlacé par eux, tout son corps fut tourmenté; alors Il s’adressa aux êtres de nature quintuple.
Narrative voice (speaker not identifiable from this single verse excerpt)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पतितस्तैः = पतितः + तैः; पंचात्मकानुवाच = पंचात्मकान् + अनुवाच
FAQs
In Purāṇic and Sāṃkhya-influenced usage, “fivefold” commonly points to groups of five such as the five elements (pañca-mahābhūta) or other pentads; with only this verse, the safest reading is a generic reference to a pentad of principles/beings addressed by the distressed person.
The verse uses physical entrapment and disgust to symbolize intense distress and entanglement—often read as the condition of a being caught in suffering or adverse circumstances, prompting an urgent appeal or instruction.
It highlights how entanglement and bodily agitation can drive a person to seek guidance or address foundational principles; it implicitly encourages turning toward discernment and right counsel when overwhelmed.