Shloka 3

Adhyaya 75 — Slaying of Mahishasura

Sanskrit

स तस्य विधिवच्चक्रे जातकर्मादिकाः क्रियाः ।

तथोपनयनादींश्च स चाशीলোऽभवन्मुने ॥

Transliteration

sa tasya vidhivac cakre jātakarmādikāḥ kriyāḥ | tathopanayanādīṃś ca sa cāśīlo 'bhavan mune ||

Translation

彼はその子のために、誕生儀礼（ジャータカルマ）に始まる諸儀式を正しく行い、さらに入門・授戒（ウパナヤナ）に始まる儀式も執り行った。けれども、聖仙よ、その子は素行の悪い者となってしまった。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: according to rule)

• चक्रे: performed/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जातकर्मादिकाः: the rites beginning with the birth-ceremony
• जातकर्मादिकाः: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘चक्रे’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातकर्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘जातकर्म-आदि’ = birth-rite etc. (ādi-samāsa)

• क्रियाः: rites/ceremonies
• क्रियाः: Karma (कर्म/Object; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘जातकर्मादिकाः’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise’

• उपनयनादीन्: (rites) beginning with initiation (upanayana)
• उपनयनादीन्: Karma (कर्म/Object; understood with ‘चक्रे’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपनयन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘उपनयन-आदि’ = upanayana etc. (ādi-compound)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अशीलाḥ: ill-conducted/without good character
• अशीलाḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘सः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशील (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + शील)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (without good conduct)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating to an inquirer (addressed as ‘mune’)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Saṃskāras
• Ethics
• Family duty
• Moral decline

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual formation (saṃskāras) is necessary but not sufficient: external rites do not guarantee inner virtue. The verse warns that dharma requires sustained character (śīla), not merely correct ceremony.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita (biographical episode within a lineage) supporting Manvantara narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Saṃskāras are ‘impressions’ meant to refine the psyche; when śīla collapses despite rites, it points to the deeper need for saṃskāra to be internalized as lived discipline rather than performed as form.