Shloka 18

Adhyaya 11 — The Son’s Discourse on Embryogenesis, Birth, and the Wheel of Saṃsāra

Sanskrit

निष्क्रान्तश्चोदरान्मूर्च्छामसह्यां प्रतिपद्यते ।

प्राप्नोति चेतनां चासौ वायुस्पर्शसमन्वितः ॥

Transliteration

niṣkrāntaś codarān mūrcchām asahyāṃ pratipadyate | prāpnoti cetanāṃ cāsau vāyusparśasamanvitaḥ ||

Translation

Setelah keluar dari rahim, ia jatuh ke dalam pengsan yang tidak tertanggung; kemudian ia sedar kembali apabila disentuh oleh hembusan udara.

Word by Word

• niṣkrāntaḥ: having come out
• niṣkrāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis√kram (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• udarāt: from the womb/belly
• udarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• mūrcchām: fainting; swoon
• mūrcchām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrcchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• asahyām: unbearable
• asahyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asahya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of mūrcchā)

• pratipadyate: falls into; experiences
• pratipadyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati√pad (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• prāpnoti: attains; regains
• prāpnoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√āp (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• cetanām: consciousness
• cetanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• asau: he/that one (the newborn)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vāyu-sparśa-samanvitaḥ: accompanied by the touch of air
• vāyu-sparśa-samanvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (vāyoḥ sparśena samanvitaḥ / vāyu-sparśa-samanvitaḥ)

Speakers

• Not specified in excerpt; continuous didactic narration.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Birth trauma
• Consciousness and prāṇa
• Embodiment

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Consciousness in embodied life is shown as contingent and fragile, dependent on bodily conditions—supporting the Purāṇic critique of over-identification with the body.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Falls under instructional anthropology of the jīva’s embodied condition (adjacent to Sarga/Pratisarga themes).

What is the esoteric significance?

Air (vāyu) is a bridge between subtle and gross: the verse hints at the yogic premise that prāṇa regulates the mind and the waking of awareness.