Shloka 10

Adhyaya 16 — The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

Sanskrit

अविद्याकृष्णसर्पेण दष्टं तद्विषपीडितम् ।

स्ववाक्यामृतपानेन मां जीवय पुनर्मृतम् ॥

Transliteration

avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa daṣṭaṃ tad-viṣa-pīḍitam |

sva-vākyāmṛta-pānena māṃ jīvaya punar-mṛtam ||

Translation

அறியாமை எனும் கரிய பாம்பு என்னைக் கடித்தது; அதன் விஷத்தால் நான் வாடுகிறேன். மரித்தவனுக்கு ஒப்பான என்னை, உங்கள் வாக்கமிருதத்தைப் பருகச் செய்து உயிர்ப்பியுங்கள்।

Word by Word

• avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa: by the black serpent of ignorance
• avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; कर्मधारय: “the black serpent (which is) ignorance” (avidyā as appositional qualifier)

• daṣṭam: bitten
• daṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daṃś (दंश्, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying mām

• tad-viṣa-pīḍitam: afflicted by that poison
• tad-viṣa-pīḍitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त; √pīḍ, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: “afflicted by its poison” (viṣa-pīḍita) with tad- as pronominal determiner

• sva-vākya-amṛta-pānena: by the drinking of the nectar of your words
• sva-vākya-amṛta-pānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: “by the drinking of the nectar of your own words”

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• jīvaya: revive/bring to life
• jīvaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (जीव्, धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) base jīvaya-; Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यम-पुरुष), Singular

• punar: again
• punar: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनर्-अव्यय) “again”

• mṛtam: dead
• mṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛ (मृ, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying mām: “dead”

Speakers

• Father addressing son

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Avidyā
• Antidote of knowledge
• Guru’s speech as amṛta
• Spiritual rebirth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ignorance is not neutral but toxic; the cure is liberating knowledge transmitted through right teaching and receptive listening.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Mokṣa-upadeśa (instruction on liberation), not a pañcalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘serpent’ image evokes subtle, hidden danger: avidyā works invisibly through habitual identification; ‘amṛta’ is the taste of deathlessness—recognition of the unchanging witness.