Shloka 48

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

तामसीं भजमानायां योनिं मातर्यजायत ।

तमसा चावृते लोके तामसोऽयं भविष्यति ॥

Transliteration

tāmasīṃ bhajamānāyāṃ yoniṃ mātary ajāyata / tamasā cāvṛte loke tāmaso 'yaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

Ele nasceu de uma mãe que entrara num ventre de natureza tamásica; e, como o mundo estava coberto de trevas, será chamado Tāmasa.

Word by Word

• tāmasīm: dark, tamasic
• tāmasīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to 'yonim'

• bhajamānāyām: while (she) was resorting to/engaging in
• bhajamānāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhaj (धातु) + bhajamāna (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ/शानच्; ātmanepada sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• yonim: womb, birth-state
• yonim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mātari: in/with the mother
• mātari: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ajāyata: was born
• ajāyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect, past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• tamasā: by darkness
• tamasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• āvṛte: when (it is) covered
• āvṛte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√vṛ (धातु) + āvṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (PPP); सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी with 'loke'

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• tāmasaḥ: tamasic, of darkness
• tāmasaḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicative) to 'ayam'

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating (sages’ rationale implied)

Key Themes

• Name etymology (nirukti)
• Guṇa theory (tamas)
• Cosmic darkness motif
• Epochal characterization

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic naming often encodes circumstance and character: the verse ties identity to guṇa-influence and the ambient condition of the world, implying that leaders arise shaped by their time.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara-adjacent Vamśānucarita: the naming ‘Tāmasa’ helps classify the figure within the larger epochal/Manu narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Darkness covering the world’ can symbolize collective ignorance; the emergence of a Manu-figure even in tamas hints that order can be instituted amid decline, though colored by the prevailing guṇa.