Shloka 42

Adhyaya 18 — Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

Sanskrit

त्यक्त्वा देवान् स्त्रियं तां तु हर्तुकामा हतौजसः ।

तेन पापेन मुह्यन्तः संशक्तास्ते ततोऽब्रुवन् ॥

Transliteration

tyaktvā devān striyaṃ tāṃ tu hartukāmā hataujasaḥ | tena pāpena muhyantaḥ saṃśaktās te tato 'bruvan ||

Translation

தேவர்களுடனான போரைக் கைவிட்டு, வலிமை குறைந்த அவர்கள் அந்தப் பெண்ணை பிடிக்க விரும்பினர்; அதே பாவத்தால் மயங்கி, அவர்கள் ஒன்றுகூடி பின்னர் பேசினர்।

Word by Word

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव), indeclinable verbal form

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• स्त्रियम्: the woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); contrast/emphasis

• हर्तुकामाः: wishing to abduct
• हर्तुकामाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hartum-kāma (प्रातिपदिक: hartum (infinitive from hṛ/हृ) + kāma)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'desirous to take away'

• हतौजसः: with their strength diminished
• हतौजसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata-ojas (प्रातिपदिक: hata + ojas)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'whose vigor is destroyed'

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• पापेन: by sin/evil
• पापेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मुह्यन्तः: being deluded
• मुह्यन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• संशक्ताः: clinging/intent
• संशक्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-śakta (प्रातिपदिक; past passive participle from saṃ-śak/शक्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'attached/engaged'

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Garga (narrator) within the Markandeya Purana’s narrative frame

Shakti Aspects

• Not applicable (ethical causality emphasized)

Key Themes

• Pāpa leads to moha
• Abduction as adharma
• Decline of ojas/tejas
• Collective wrongdoing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Purāṇic ethic links intention to cognition: sinful intent (pāpa) produces delusion (moha), which in turn normalizes further wrongdoing. ‘Hata-ojas’ signals that adharma depletes inner strength.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Moral-psychological instruction via narrative; ancillary to the Purāṇa’s broader aims rather than a core pancalakṣaṇa enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

When ojas declines, the will becomes porous; craving then ‘possesses’ the mind. The verse encodes a subtle law: the very act of intending harm clouds perception.