Shloka 41

Adhyaya 76 — The Sixth Manvantara: Cakshusha Manu, the Child-Snatcher, and the Problem of Kinship

Sanskrit

तपस्यन्तं ततस्तञ्च प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः ।

किमर्थं तप्यसे वत्स ! तपस्तीव्रं वदस्व तत् ॥

Transliteration

tapasyantaṃ tatastañca prāha devaḥ prajāpatiḥ / kimarthaṃ tapyase vatsa! tapastīvraṃ vadasva tat

Translation

ਤਦ, ਜਦੋਂ ਉਹ ਤਪੱਸਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੀਨ ਸੀ, ਦੇਵ ਪ੍ਰਜਾਪਤੀ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ—‘ਪਿਆਰੇ ਬਾਲਕ! ਤੂੰ ਕਿਸ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਤੀਬਰ ਤਪ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈਂ? ਮੈਨੂੰ ਦੱਸ।’

Word by Word

• tapasyantam: the one performing austerity
• tapasyantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas-yat (तपस् + यत् धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/न्त), Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; 'one who is doing penance'

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रम/कालवाचक)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āh (प्र + अह् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa 3rd person, Singular

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prajāpatiḥ: Prajāpati
• prajāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक; components: prajā + pati)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; title/name

• kimartham: why
• kimartham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/why)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim-artha (प्रातिपदिक; components: kim + artha)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय) meaning 'for what purpose/why'

• tapyase: do you perform austerity / do you heat yourself (in penance)
• tapyase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) Present, Ātmanepada, Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष) 2nd person, Singular

• vatsa: dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular

• tapas: austerity
• tapas: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• tīvram: intense
• tīvram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies tapas

• vadasva: tell (me)
• vadasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्) Imperative, Ātmanepada, Madhyama-puruṣa 2nd person, Singular

• tat: that (reason/purpose)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating; Prajāpati speaks to Ānanda

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Prajāpati

Key Themes

• Divine testing/boon prelude
• Tapas and intention (saṅkalpa)
• Ascetic narrative motif

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Tapas is evaluated by its aim: the divine question highlights that intention (saṅkalpa) must be clarified—whether for worldly gain or for liberation-oriented purification.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A narrative-theological episode (deva-darśana) supporting dharma and mokṣa teaching; not a direct pañcalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

Prajāpati, as lord of creatures/progenitors, appears precisely when the aspirant rejects worldly ‘progeny/kinship’ fixation—signaling mastery over the generative principle and redirection toward liberation.