Shloka 18

Adhyaya 9 — Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra’s Mutual Curse: The Āḍi–Baka Battle and Brahmā’s Pacification

Sanskrit

केचिद् गिरिनिपातेन केचिद् अम्भोधिवारिणा ।

केचिन् महीसञ्चलनात् प्रययुः प्राणिनः क्षयम् ॥

Transliteration

kecid giri-nipātena kecid ambhodhi-vāriṇā /

kecin mahī-sañcalanāt prayayuḥ prāṇinaḥ kṣayam

Translation

काही प्राणी पर्वत कोसळून नष्ट झाले, काही समुद्राच्या पाण्याने; आणि काही—पृथ्वीच्या कंपामुळे—जीव विनाशास गेले.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (beings)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun (कश्चित्)

• गिरि-निपातेन: by the fall of mountains
• गिरि-निपातेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + निपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः निपातः)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun

• अम्भोधि-वारिणा: by ocean-water
• अम्भोधि-वारिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भोधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (अम्भोधेः वारि)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; indefinite pronoun

• मही-सञ्चलनात्: from/because of the earth’s shaking
• मही-सञ्चलनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + सञ्चलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (महेः सञ्चलनम्)

• प्रययुः: went (to)
• प्रययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural; √या (गतौ) with उपसर्ग प्र-

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन)

• क्षयम्: destruction/death
• क्षयम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame-speaker not explicit in this verse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Mass suffering
• Cosmic catastrophe
• Consequences of conflict

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The innocent bear the cost of the powerful’s quarrels. The verse underscores the dharmic duty of rulers/strong beings to avoid actions that endanger the many.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Situated within narrative theology; it does not enumerate creation cycles or lineages, but serves as a moral amplification within the Purāṇic storytelling method.

What is the esoteric significance?

Three modes of destruction—impact (mountains), inundation (ocean), and instability (earthquake)—map to different forms of inner collapse: rigidity shattering, emotions flooding, and loss of grounding.