Shloka 22

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

विन्ध्यस्य शिखरे तिष्ठन् पत्रिपत्रेरितेन वै ।

पतितोऽस्मि महाभाग श्वसनेनातिरंहसा ॥

Transliteration

vindhyasya śikhare tiṣṭhan patripatreritena vai / patito 'smi mahābhāga śvasanenātiraṃhasā

Translation

വിംധ്യപർവതത്തിന്റെ ശിഖരത്തിൽ നിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ ചിറകുകളുടെ അടിച്ചടിയാൽ ഞാൻ പ്രഹരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു; മഹാവേഗത്തിൽ വീശിയ കാറ്റിന്റെ തള്ളലാൽ, ഹേ ശുഭാനന, ഞാൻ വീണുപോയി.

Word by Word

• विन्ध्यस्य: of (Mount) Vindhya
• विन्ध्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शिखरे: on the peak
• शिखरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पत्रिपत्रेरितेन: by that which was driven/caused by wing-beating
• पत्रिपत्रेरितेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत्रि-पत्र-ईरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—पत्रि(=पक्षी) + पत्र(=पक्ष) + ईरित (impelled by wing-beating / by a bird’s wings)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• श्वसनेन: by the wind/breath
• श्वसनेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अतिरंहसा: with excessive speed
• अतिरंहसा: Karaṇa/Manner (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with great speed’ (instrumental of manner)

Speakers

• Unclear from the single verse in isolation (depends on edition’s narrative segmentation); a speaker reports having fallen from the Vindhya peak and addresses a listener as 'mahābhāga'.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Misfortune and causality
• Nature imagery (wind, mountains)
• Appeal to a respected interlocutor

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse underscores human (or creaturely) vulnerability to sudden forces in nature, setting a tone of humility and dependence on wise counsel. It functions ethically as a prompt toward seeking guidance after unforeseen calamity rather than reacting with pride or blame.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly a Pancalakṣaṇa unit (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It belongs to the narrative/frame material that supports later teachings and episodes rather than presenting creation, genealogies, or manvantara chronology.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the 'peak of the Vindhya' can represent a high standpoint (pride, attainment, or security), while the sudden gust/wing-beat suggests the disruptive power of unseen causes (karma, time, fate). The fall becomes an inward cue: stability based on externals is fragile, and true refuge lies in discernment and dharma.