Shloka 16

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

Sanskrit

रक्तकृष्णाम्बरधरा गायन्ती हसती च यम् ।

दक्षिणाशान्नयेन्नारी स्वप्ने सोऽपि न जीवति ॥

Transliteration

raktakṛṣṇāmbaradharā gāyantī hasatī ca yam / dakṣiṇāśānnayennārī svapne so 'pi na jīvati

Translation

ଯଦି ସ୍ୱପ୍ନରେ ଲାଲ ଓ କଳା ବସ୍ତ୍ର ପିନ୍ଧିଥିବା ଜଣେ ନାରୀ—ଗାଇ ହସି—କାହାକୁ ଦକ୍ଷିଣ ଦିଗକୁ ନେଇଯାଏ, ତେବେ ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜୀବେ ନାହିଁ; ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ନିକଟ।

Word by Word

• रक्तकृष्णाम्बरधरा: wearing red and black garments
• रक्तकृष्णाम्बरधरा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; qualifies ‘नारी’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + कृष्ण + अम्बर + धर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘wearing red-black garments’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गायन्ती: singing
• गायन्ती: कर्ता (Karta; participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हसती: laughing
• हसती: कर्ता (Karta; participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणाशात्: from the southern quarter
• दक्षिणाशात्: अपादान (Apādāna/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण + आशा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘southern direction’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• नयेत्: should lead
• नयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘should lead’

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Dialogue-context unspecified in given excerpt

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dream-omen
• Personified death-leading figure
• Color symbolism (red/black)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse depicts death as an unavoidable summons; its ethical use is to provoke wakefulness—live in a way that leaves no unfinished harm, debt, or neglected duty.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary omen-literature; not among the five defining Purāṇic topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

The laughing, singing guide represents māyā’s seductive pull even at the threshold; red-black suggests rajas-tamas dominance and the terrifying/liminal aspect of transition toward Yama’s quarter.