Shloka 14

Adhyaya 17 — The Birth of Atri’s Three Sons: Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa

Sanskrit

निर्दहत्यवमन्तारं दुर्वासा भगवानजः ।

रौद्रं समाश्रित्य वपुर्दृङ्मनोवाग्भिरुद्धतः ॥

Transliteration

nirdahaty avamantāraṃ durvāsā bhagavān ajaḥ | raudraṃ samāśritya vapur dṛṅmanovāgbhir uddhataḥ ||

Translation

അജന്മനും പൂജ്യനുമായ ദുര്വാസാ രുദ്രസദൃശമായ രൂപം ധരിച്ചു, കണ്ണ്–മനം–വാക്ക് എന്നിവയുടെ ഉഗ്രവേഗത്തിൽ ആകുലനായി, തன்னை അപമാനിക്കുന്നവനെ ദഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• निर्दहति: burns up
• निर्दहति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवमन्तारम्: the insulter
• अवमन्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवमन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) < अव+मन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (agent noun -तृ), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā
• दुर्वासाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भगवान्: the venerable/lordly
• भगवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अजः: unborn
• अजः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• रौद्रम्: the fierce (state/form)
• रौद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाश्रित्य: having assumed/resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having resorted to'

• वपुः: body/form
• वपुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृक्: with (his) eyes/sight
• दृक्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश्/दृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासपूर्वपद in दृङ्मनोवाक्

• मनः: with (his) mind
• मनः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासपूर्वपद in दृङ्मनोवाक्

• वाग्भिः: with (his) speech/words
• वाग्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); in text as part of compound dṛṅ-mano-vāk + भिः

• उद्धतः: aroused/impetuous
• उद्धतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धत (प्रातिपदिक) < उद्+हन्/धत्? (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purana’s rishi-to-rishi discourse (exact frame-speaker not explicit in these standalone verses)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Durvāsā
• Rudra (Śiva)

Key Themes

• Ascetic power (tapas)
• Consequences of disrespect
• Fierce (raudra) disposition
• Ethics of speech and conduct

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse warns against contempt toward the spiritually potent and underscores restraint in the triad of perception–thought–speech. Disrespect (avamāna) is portrayed as self-destructive when directed at one established in tapas.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita/Ākhyāna (narrative of exemplary figures) used as Dharma instruction; not Sarga/Pratisarga, but ethical teaching embedded in rishi-history.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Rudra-form’ symbolizes the purifying fire that incinerates egoic affront. The ‘unrestrained eye, mind, and speech’ also point to how uncontrolled inner faculties externalize as destructive force.