Shloka 17
Karma, Preta-gati, and the Continuity of Phala
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Instruction
Devanagari script
प्रश्नानुच्चारितानद्य व्याहरिष्यसि चेन्मम । अथ पश्चाद् विमोक्ष्यामि भ्रातरं ते वकोदरम्,परंतु एक बात है, यदि तुम मेरे पूछे हुए कुछ प्रश्नोंका अभी उत्तर दे दोगे, तो उसके बाद मैं तुम्हारे भाई भीमसेनको छोड़ दूँगा
Transliteration
praśnān uccāritān adya vyāhariṣyasi cen mama | atha paścād vimokṣyāmi bhrātaraṃ te vakodaram ||
Translation
The serpent said: “If today you will speak out the answers to the questions I have posed, then afterwards I shall release your brother Vakodara (Bhīma).” In ethical terms, the serpent makes liberation conditional upon truthful, timely knowledge—testing whether wisdom and right speech can become the means to save a life.
Word by Word
प्रश्नान्questions
प्रश्नान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रश्न
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
उच्चारितान्uttered/asked
उच्चारितान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउच्चारित (उद्+चर्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अद्यtoday/now
अद्य:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअद्य
व्याहरिष्यसिyou will answer/utter
व्याहरिष्यसि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि+आ+हृ (व्याहृ)
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), Second, Singular
चेत्if
चेत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत्
ममof me / my
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
अथthen/thereupon
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
पश्चात्afterwards
पश्चात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपश्चात्
विमोक्ष्यामिI will release/set free
विमोक्ष्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि+मुच्
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular
भ्रातरम्brother
भ्रातरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रातृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तेyour (of you)
ते:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
वकोदरम्Vakodara (Bhima, 'wolf-bellied')
वकोदरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवकोदर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
सर्प उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
सर्प (serpent)व
वकोदर (Vakodara/Bhīma)भ
भ्राता (brother, i.e., the interlocutor’s brother)Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes