Shloka 68

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

ऋषिरुवाच एवम् स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा ।

विष्णोः प्रबोधनार्थाय निहन्तुं मधुकैटभौ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣir uvāca evaṃ stutā tadā devī tāmasī tatra vedhasā / viṣṇoḥ prabodhanārthāya nihantuṃ madhukaiṭabhau

Translation

ଋଷି କହିଲେ—ସେତେବେଳେ ବେଧସ (ବ୍ରହ୍ମା)ଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସ୍ତୁତ ହୋଇ, ସେଇ ତାମସୀ ଦେବୀ ସେଠାରେ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କୁ ଜାଗ୍ରତ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ ହେଲେ, ମଧୁ ଓ କୈଟଭଙ୍କ ବଧ ନିମିତ୍ତେ।

Word by Word

• ऋषिः: the sage
• ऋषिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• स्तुता: praised
• स्तुता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'देवी' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तामसी: dark (tāmasī)
• तामसी: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'देवी' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Place adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वेधसा: by Brahmā (the Creator)
• वेधसा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रबोधनार्थाय: for the purpose of awakening
• प्रबोधनार्थाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Purpose-dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रबोधन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): प्रबोधनस्य अर्थः; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• निहन्तुम्: to slay
• निहन्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); कर्मार्थक/उद्देश्य (purpose infinitive)

• मधुकैटभौ: Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• मधुकैटभौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + कैटभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative): मधुश्च कैटभश्च; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

Speakers

• Narrator (Ṛṣi) within Devī Māhātmya frame

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī
• Brahmā (Vedhas)
• Viṣṇu
• Madhu
• Kaiṭabha

Shakti Aspects

• Tāmasī (Nidrā-devī); Yoga-nidrā

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Narrative transition
• Tamas as cosmic function
• Divine causality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text frames Devī not as a passive abstraction but as an active power responding to sincere invocation; prayer is portrayed as aligning cosmic forces toward dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: a mythic episode that illustrates the functioning of divine powers in maintaining cosmic order at the beginning of the world-cycle.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling her ‘Tāmasī’ indicates tamas is not merely negative; it is a regulated cosmic principle under Devī’s sovereignty, withdrawn or deployed as needed.