Shloka 6

Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm

Varuṇa-loka Darśana

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमरणास्त्वन्ये मानुषा मृगपक्षिण: । तैर्यग्योन्याक्ष॒ ये चान्ये जीवलोकचरास्तथा

Transliteration

muhūrtamaraṇās tv anye mānuṣā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | tairyyagyonīyākṣā ye cānye jīvalokacarās tathā ||

Translation

କଣ୍ୱ କହିଲେ—କେହି କେହି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତମାତ୍ରରେ ମରିଯାଆନ୍ତି—ମନୁଷ୍ୟ, ମୃଗ ଓ ପକ୍ଷୀ। ତେଣୁ ତିର୍ୟକ୍-ଯୋନିରେ ଜନ୍ମିଥିବା ଏବଂ ଜୀବଲୋକରେ ବିଚରଣ କରୁଥିବା ଅନ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶୀଘ୍ର ମୃତ୍ୟୁକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तमरणाः: having death in a moment; short-lived
• मुहूर्तमरणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुहूर्त-मरण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मानुषाः: humans
• मानुषाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मृगपक्षिणः: beasts and birds
• मृगपक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग-पक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तैर्यग्योन्याः: those of animal birth (non-human species)
• तैर्यग्योन्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: तैर्यग्योनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जीवलोकचराः: moving about in the world of living beings
• जीवलोकचराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीवलोक-चर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise/so also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• कण्व (Kaṇva)
• मानुष (humans)
• मृग (beasts)
• पक्षिन् (birds)
• जीवलोक (world of living beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses the fragility of embodied life: across species—human, animal, bird—death can arrive suddenly. Ethically, it supports sobriety, non-attachment, and urgency in practicing dharma rather than complacency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva is reflecting on the condition of living beings, emphasizing that many creatures are moment-lived and subject to swift death, as part of a broader admonition meant to shape right judgment and conduct.