Shloka 37

Adhyaya 2 — The Lineage of Garuda and the Birth of the Wise Birds: Kanka and Kandhara

Sanskrit

पार्थकोदण्डनिर्मुक्तमासन्नमतिवेगवत् ।

तस्या भल्लमहिश्यामं त्वचं चिच्छेद जाठरीम् ॥

Transliteration

pārthakodaṇḍanirmuktam āsannam ativegavat /

tasyā bhallam ahiśyāmaṃ tvacaṃ ciccheda jāṭharīm //

Translation

പാർത്ഥന്റെ വില്ലിൽ നിന്ന് വിട്ട അമ്പ് മഹാവേഗത്തിൽ സമീപിച്ചു; വിശാലമായ അഗ്രഭാഗം കൊണ്ട്, സർപ്പത്തെപ്പോലെ കറുത്ത അവളുടെ ഉദരചർമ്മം മുറിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• पार्थ: of Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग/पूर्वपद) ‘पार्थकोदण्डनिर्मुक्तम्’ इत्यत्र

• कोदण्ड: bow
• कोदण्ड: सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोदण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग/मध्यपद)

• निर्मुक्तम्: released (from)
• निर्मुक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + मुच् (धातु) → निर्मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘पार्थ-कोदण्ड-निर्मुक्तम्’ = (arrow) released from Pārtha’s bow

• आसन्नम्: near/approaching
• आसन्नम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (भल्लम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अतिवेगवत्: very swift
• अतिवेगवत्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + वेगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वेगवत्’ (possessive adj.) with prefix ‘अति-’

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भल्लम्: a sharp arrow/dart
• भल्लम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अहि: snake
• अहि: सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग/पूर्वपद) ‘अहिश्यामम्’ इत्यत्र

• श्यामम्: dark like a snake
• श्यामम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अहिरिव श्यामम्) ‘snake-dark’

• त्वचम्: skin
• त्वचम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चिच्छेद: cut/tore
• चिच्छेद: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; द्वित्व (reduplication)

• जाठरीम्: abdominal
• जाठरीम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाठरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘त्वचम्’ इति विशेषणम् (belonging to the belly/abdominal)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (not a direct dialogue line in the given verse)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Arjuna (Pārtha)

Key Themes

• Heroic combat
• Martial imagery
• Violence in narrative (battle description)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse primarily functions as vivid narrative description: swift action yields immediate consequence. Ethically, it reflects the Purāṇic tendency to depict karma and prowess through concrete results—an act (the shot) is not abstract, but materially effective and accountable.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly sarga/pratisarga (creation), vaṃśa (genealogy), manvantara, or vaṃśānucarita (dynastic chronicle) in itself; it belongs to narrative (ākhyāna) supporting the broader purāṇic storytelling frame. Classification: ancillary narrative episode rather than a pancalakṣaṇa core datum.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the ‘serpent-dark skin’ suggests the tamasic, enveloping sheath (covering) that is cut by a sharp, directed force—often read as clarity/aim (one-pointed intent) piercing obscuration. However, without the immediately surrounding verses identifying ‘her’ and the larger allegory, this remains a cautious, general symbolic reading.