Shloka 15
Purañjana Captivated by Lust; Time (Caṇḍavega) and Old Age (Kālakanyā) Begin the Siege
ते चण्डवेगानुचरा: पुरञ्जनपुरं यदा । हर्तुमारेभिरे तत्र प्रत्यषेधत्प्रजागर: ॥ १५ ॥
te caṇḍavegānucarāḥ purañjana-puraṁ yadā hartum ārebhire tatra pratyaṣedhat prajāgaraḥ
Quando Caṇḍavega e seus seguidores começaram a saquear a cidade de Purañjana, uma serpente de cinco cabeças chamada Prajāgara passou a resistir, defendendo a cidade.
When one is sleeping, the life air remains active in different dreams. The five hoods of the snake indicate that the life air is surrounded by five kinds of air, known as prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna and samāna. When the body is inactive, the prāṇa, or the life air, is active. Up to the age of fifty one can actively work for sense gratification, but after the fiftieth year one’s energy decreases, although one can with great strain work for two or three more years — perhaps up to the fifty-fifth year. Thus the fifty-fifth year is generally taken by government regulations as the final year for retirement. The energy, which is fatigued after fifty years, is figuratively described herein as a serpent with five hoods.
FAQs
In the Purañjana allegory, Caṇḍavega represents Time (kāla), and his followers symbolize the swift passing days and forces that wear down the body.
Prajāgara refers to the inner guardian—often understood as prāṇa (life-air) or the vital force—that strives to protect and maintain the body against the attacks of time.
Even with vigilance and self-protection, time steadily takes away bodily strength; therefore one should prioritize lasting spiritual practice—bhakti—over temporary bodily security.