Shloka 33

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

तत्किमेतन्महाभाग यन्मोहो ज्ञानिनोरपि ।

ममास्य च भवत्येषा विवेकान्धस्य मूढता ॥

Transliteration

tat kim etan mahābhāga yan moho jñānino r api / mamāsya ca bhavaty eṣā vivekāndhasya mūḍhatā

Translation

«ໂອ ທ່ານຜູ້ສູງສົ່ງ, ສິ່ງນີ້ແມ່ນຫຍັງທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ມົວເມົາເກີດຂຶ້ນ ແມ່ນແຕ່ໃນຜູ້ມີຄວາມຮູ້? ແລະເປັນຫຍັງຄວາມໂງ່ນີ້ຈຶ່ງມາຖືກຂ້ອຍດ້ວຍ—ຂ້ອຍຜູ້ທີ່ປັນຍາແຍກແຍະກາຍເປັນຄົນຕາບອດ?»

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• mahābhāga: O fortunate one
• mahābhāga: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th—सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); संबोधन

• yat: which/that (relative)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• mohaḥ: delusion
• mohaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñāninoḥ: of the two wise (persons)
• jñāninoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); 1st person pronoun

• asya: of this (one)/his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• bhavati: is/occurs
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• eṣā: this (f.)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• viveka-andhasya: of one blind to discernment
• viveka-andhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viveka-andha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vivekena andhaḥ / vivekābhāvena andhaḥ)

• mūḍhatā: foolishness/stupidity
• mūḍhatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍhatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); abstract noun (भाववाचक)

Speakers

• Questioner addressing an Ṛṣi (contextually: a disciple/king-like interlocutor to the sage); next verse begins “ṛṣir uvāca”

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (as Mahāmāyā)
• Hari (Viṣṇu) (implicit in later verses)

Shakti Aspects

• Mahāmāyā (as the cosmic deluding power; explicitly developed in vv. 40–42)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Māyā
• Moha
• Viveka
• Bondage (saṃsāra)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Intellectual knowledge alone does not guarantee freedom from delusion; without steady viveka (discriminative clarity), even the ‘knower’ can be overcome by moha. Ethically, it cautions against pride in learning and urges vigilance, humility, and devotion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Dharmānucarita/Upadeśa within the Purāṇic narrative (not a core pañcalakṣaṇa item like sarga or manvantara). It functions as theological-philosophical exposition supporting the Māhātmya’s praise of Devī.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Blind discernment’ indicates that buddhi can be veiled by Śakti’s māyā; liberation requires not mere cognition but a transformed, grace-aligned awareness. The verse sets up Mahāmāyā as the power that can both bind and, when propitiated, release.