Shloka 4

Adhyaya 17 — Harishchandra

Sanskrit

ब्रह्मरूपञ्च शुक्लाभं पतमानं समन्ततः ।

सोमरूपं रजोपेतं दिशस्तं जगृहुर्दश ॥

Transliteration

brahmarūpañca śuklābhaṃ patamānaṃ samantataḥ |

somarūpaṃ rajopetaṃ diśastaṃ jagṛhurdaśa ||

Translation

श्वेत, ब्रह्म-सदृश रूप चारों ओर गिरता हुआ प्रकट हुआ। वह रजोगुण से रंजित सोम-स्वरूप बन गया; दसों दिशाओं ने उसे ग्रहण किया।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मरूपम्: Brahmā-like form
• ब्रह्मरूपम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ rūpam)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शुक्लाभम्: white-bright
• शुक्लाभम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + आभा/आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘शुक्लम् आभम्/आभायुक्तम्’ = white-shining

• पतमानम्: falling/flying
• पतमानम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘falling/flying’

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: अधिकरण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘on all sides’

• सोमरूपम्: moon-like form
• सोमरूपम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (somasya rūpam)

• रजः-उपेतम्: covered/tinged with dust
• रजः-उपेतम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √इ ‘to go’ with उप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठीभाव-तत्पुरुष ‘रजसा उपेतम्’ = endowed with dust/pollen

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम—अत्र कर्मरूपेण

• जगृहुः: seized/took
• जगृहुः: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे ‘ten’—दिशः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice (Purāṇic narrator within the Markandeya Purana’s ongoing discourse; not Devi Māhātmya)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Soma (Candra)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Directional deities (Dik)
• Guna theory (rajas)
• Deity-manifestation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘ten directions’ receiving the form suggests that a deity’s function is cosmic and all-encompassing, not localized. The mention of rajas hints that even luminous divinity participates in dynamic governance of the world.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga imagery (formation and cosmic placement) in service of Vaṃśa narration (the arising of Soma as Atri’s son).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Ten directions’ can symbolize the full field of experience; Soma as mind-linked luminary becomes ‘held’ by the totality of space, indicating mind’s pervasion through the experiential cosmos.