Shloka 19

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

केशाङ्गारांस्तथा भस्म भुजङ्गान्निर्जलां नदीम् ।

दृष्ट्वा स्वप्ने दशाहात्तु मृत्युरेकादशे दिने ॥

Transliteration

keśāṅgārāṃstathā bhasma bhujaṅgānnirjalāṃ nadīm / dṛṣṭvā svapne daśāhāttu mṛtyurekādaśe dine

Translation

സ്വപ്നത്തിൽ മുടി കനലായി, ചാരമായി, പാമ്പുകളായി മാറിയതായി കാണുകയോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ വെള്ളമില്ലാത്ത നദി കാണുകയോ ചെയ്താൽ—പത്ത് ദിവസത്തിന് ശേഷം പതിനൊന്നാം ദിവസം മരണം വരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• keśa-aṅgārān: hair-like coals / coals (of hair)
• keśa-aṅgārān: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa + aṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (‘hair-coals’/coals like hair)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (अव्यय)

• bhasma: ashes
• bhasma: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (or indeclinable-like neuter usage)

• bhujaṅgān: snakes
• bhujaṅgān: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural

• nirjalām: waterless
• nirjalām: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘nadīm’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-jala (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with ‘nadīm’

• nadīm: a river
• nadīm: Karma (कर्म) of ‘dṛṣṭvā’
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• svapne: in a dream
• svapne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• daśa-ahāt: from ten days (i.e., after ten days)
• daśa-ahāt: Apādāna (अपादान) / time-from (काल-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + ahan (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular; द्विगु-समासः (‘ten days’)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• mṛtyuḥ: death
• mṛtyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (elliptic: ‘death (comes)’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• ekādaśe: on the eleventh
• ekādaśe: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘dine’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; numeral adjective qualifying ‘dine’

• dine: day
• dine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

Speakers

• Dialogue-frame not explicit in the provided excerpt; impersonal prognostic teaching

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Omens
• Dream interpretation
• Time-to-death prognostication

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘countdown’ motif urges immediate settling of obligations—charity, forgiveness, truth-speaking, and remembrance of the divine—before time runs out.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/niyama material rather than the five hallmark topics; it functions as practical instruction within the Purāṇic compendium.

What is the esoteric significance?

Hair-to-embers/ash suggests the ‘burning up’ of vitality; serpents can signify karmic bindings; a dry river symbolizes prāṇa and rasa (life-sap) withdrawing.