Shloka 5

शुकस्य मिथिलागमनम् (Śukasya Mithilāgamanam) — Śuka’s Journey to Mithilā and the Courtly Test

Devanagari script

चतुर्विधं महीपाल निर्दहत्याशु तेजसा | जरायुजाण्डजस्वेदजोद्धिज्जं च नराधिप

Transliteration

caturvidhaṃ mahīpāla nirdahaty āśu tejasā | jarāyujāṇḍajasvedajodbhijjaṃ ca narādhipa ||

Translation

யாஜ்ஞவல்க்யர் கூறினார்—மனிதரின் அரசே! அதன் கொளுத்தும் தேஜஸால் அது விரைவில் நான்கு வகை உயிர்களையும் எரித்தழிக்கிறது—கருப்பையில் பிறப்போர், முட்டையிலிருந்து பிறப்போர், வியர்வை/ஈரத்திலிருந்து பிறப்போர், மண்ணிலிருந்து முளைப்போர்.

Word by Word

चतुर्विधम्fourfold (of four kinds)

महीपालO king (protector of the earth)

निर्दहतिburns up, consumes

आशुquickly

तेजसाby (its) brilliance/energy

जरायुजwomb-born (viviparous)

अण्डजegg-born (oviparous)

स्वेदजsweat/moisture-born

उद्भिज्जम्sprout-born (germinating from the earth)

चand

नराधिपO ruler of men

Speaker

याज़्वल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yājñavalkya

mahīpāla (king)

narādhipa (king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the overwhelming force of tejas (fiery energy/power): it can swiftly destroy all categories of embodied life, reminding the listener of the fragility of beings and the need for restraint, discernment, and dharmic conduct in wielding power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yājñavalkya addresses a king and describes how a powerful, blazing force rapidly consumes living beings of every traditional birth-category (womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and earth-sprout-born), as part of a broader instruction on the nature and effects of potent energies.