Shloka 4

The Birth of Tāraka and the Prelude to the Deva–Asura War

Topic-based Title

Devanagari script

कथं लब्धा उमा तत्र रुद्रेण परमेष्ठिना । एतदाख्याहि मे सर्वं यथाभूतं महामुने

Transliteration

kathaṃ labdhā umā tatra rudreṇa parameṣṭhinā | etadākhyāhi me sarvaṃ yathābhūtaṃ mahāmune

Translation

Comment Rudra, le Seigneur suprême, obtint-il là Umā ? Raconte-moi tout cela tel que cela advint, ô grand sage.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• लब्धा: was obtained
• लब्धा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तान्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि—लब्धा (was obtained)

• उमा: Umā
• उमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• रुद्रेण: by Rudra
• रुद्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• परमेष्ठिना: by the Supreme Lord
• परमेष्ठिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणवत्—परमेष्ठिना (by the supreme lord)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• आख्याहि: tell/relate
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; एतत् इत्यस्य विशेषण (qualifier)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• भूतम्: as it truly happened
• भूतम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; यथाभूतम् (as it happened)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—महान् मुनिः

Speaker

A disciple/interlocutor addressing a great sage (mahāmune) and asking for narration

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: एतदाख्याहि = एतत् + आख्याहि; यथाभूतं = यथा + भूतम्

Characters & Entities

• Umā
• Rudra (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the main request made in this verse?

The speaker asks the sage to narrate—truthfully and in full—how Rudra came to attain Umā in that particular context.

Why is Rudra called 'parameṣṭhinā' here?

It functions as an honorific indicating Rudra’s supreme/exalted status, emphasizing divine authority in the narrative being requested.

What ethical or spiritual lesson is implied by 'yathābhūtam' (as it happened)?

It underscores fidelity to truth in sacred narration—seeking an accurate account rather than speculation or embellishment.