Shloka 23

Guṇa-vibhāga and Prāṇa–Agni–Yoga Upadeśa (गुणविभाग तथा प्राण-अग्नि-योगोपदेश)

Devanagari script

क्रूरस्य तस्य स्वपतो बालुकान्तर्हितस्य च । संवत्सरस्य पर्यन्ते नि:श्वास: सम्प्रवर्तते,बालूके भीतर छिपकर रहनेवाला वह क्रूर राक्षस एक वर्षमें एक ही बार साँस लेता है

Transliteration

krūrasya tasya svapato bālukāntarhitasya ca | saṃvatsarasya paryante niḥśvāsaḥ sampravartate ||

Translation

Uttaṅka said: 'That cruel being, lying asleep and hidden beneath the sand, draws a breath only once—at the completion of a full year.' The line underscores an unnatural, ominous restraint of life-force, marking the creature as dangerous and morally distorted, and heightening the urgency for vigilant, dharmic action in the face of hidden harm.

Word by Word

क्रूरस्यof the cruel (one)

तस्यof him/that

स्वपतःof (him) sleeping

बालुकान्तरहितस्यof (him) hidden within sand

चand

संवत्सरस्यof a year

पर्यन्तेat the end

नि:श्वासःbreath/exhalation

सम्प्रवर्ततेbegins/sets in/occurs

Speaker

उत्तड़क उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttaṅka

a cruel rākṣasa (demon)

sand (bālukā)

one-year cycle (saṃvatsara)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Evil may remain concealed and inactive for long periods, yet still be perilous; dharmic discernment requires vigilance and timely action even when danger is not immediately visible.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttaṅka describes a cruel rākṣasa that lies asleep hidden under sand and breathes only once at the end of a year, emphasizing its uncanny nature and the threat it poses despite its apparent stillness.