Shloka 18

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

Sanskrit

आमस्तकतालाद्यस्तु निमग्नं पङ्कसागरे ।

स्वप्ने पश्यत्यथात्मानं स सद्यो म्रियते नरः ॥

Transliteration

āmastakatalādyastu nimagnaṃ paṅkasāgare / svapne paśyatyathātmānaṃ sa sadyo mriyate naraḥ

Translation

Jika seseorang melihat dirinya dalam mimpi tenggelam dalam lautan lumpur hingga ke ubun-ubun, maka orang itu mati serta-merta.

Word by Word

• ā-mastaka-tala-ādiḥ: (one who is) up to head and soles (i.e., entirely)
• ā-mastaka-tala-ādiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘naraḥ’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + mastaka + tala + ādi (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आ-पूर्वकः: ‘up to the soles of the feet, etc.’)

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

• nimagnam: submerged/sunk
• nimagnam: Karma-predicative (कर्मणि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + √majj (मज्ज्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with implied ‘ātmānam’ (self)

• paṅka-sāgare: in a sea of mud
• paṅka-sāgare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṅka + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (पङ्कस्य सागरः)

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

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• atha: then/and
• atha: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (निपात/अव्यय)

• ātmānam: himself/self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• mriyate: dies
• mriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛ (मृ)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular

• naraḥ: a man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

Speakers

• Dialogue-frame not explicit in the given excerpt; presented as generalized śāstra-style prognostication within the Purāṇa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Omens
• Dream interpretation
• Mortality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames human life as fragile and time-bound; it encourages vigilance, repentance, and completion of duties (dharma) when ominous signs arise.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

It does not primarily serve sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita; it belongs to ancillary dharma-śāstra material (upadharma) embedded in Purāṇic discourse.

What is the esoteric significance?

Being swallowed by mire symbolizes tamas (inertia, delusion) overwhelming consciousness; ‘immediate death’ can be read as the collapse of agency when one is fully engulfed by tamasic bondage.