Shloka 20

महोत्पात-लक्षणानि

Omens before Khara’s Assault

Devanagari script

तारा अपि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पातयामि नभस्स्थलात्।।।।मृत्युं मरणधर्मेण सङ्क्रुद्धो योजयाम्यहम्।

Transliteration

tārā api śarais tīkṣṇaiḥ pātayāmi nabhassthalāt | mṛtyuṃ maraṇadharmēṇa saṅkruddhō yōjayāmy aham ||

Translation

എന്റെ തീക്ഷ്ണശരങ്ങളാൽ ആകാശസ്ഥ നക്ഷത്രങ്ങളെയും ഞാൻ താഴെയിറക്കാൻ കഴിയും; ക്രോധം കത്തിയാൽ മൃത്യുവിനെയും മർത്ത്യധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ നിയമത്തിന് വിധേയനാക്കും.

Word by Word

• ताराः: stars
• ताराः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण to 'शरैः'

• पातयामि: I will make fall; I will bring down
• पातयामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) sense: 'cause to fall'

• नभःस्थलात्: from the sky
• नभःस्थलात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभः + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• मृत्युम्: Death (personified)
• मृत्युम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मरणधर्मेण: with mortal nature; by death's law
• मरणधर्मेण: Karana/Prakāra (करण/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (by the law/nature of dying)

• सङ्क्रुद्धः: angered
• सङ्क्रुद्धः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + क्रुध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण to 'अहम्'

• योजयामि: I will subject; I will consign
• योजयामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) sense: 'cause to be joined/subject to'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

With my sharp arrows I can even bring down the stars from the sky. If angered, I can cause mortality to the god of death.

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Mṛtyu (Death, personified)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma critiques overreach and blasphemous pride: claiming power over cosmic order (stars, Death) signals adharma and invites correction.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara boasts of impossible feats to embolden his troops despite the ominous signs.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance and truthful speech are absent; the verse highlights the vice of boastful arrogance.