Shloka 10

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

कदा मे सहजा कान्तिः पांशुना नाशमेष्यति ।

एषां पक्षानिलोत्थेन मत्समीपविचारिणाम् ॥

Transliteration

kadā me sahajā kāntiḥ pāṁśunā nāśam eṣyati |

eṣāṁ pakṣānilotthena matsamīpa-vicāriṇām ||

Translation

என் இயல்பான ஒளி எப்போது தூசியால் இனி கெடாது—என் அருகே அலைகின்ற இப்பறவைகளின் சிறகுகளின் காற்றால் எழும் தூசியால்?

Word by Word

• कदा: when
• कदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (time)

• मे: my / for me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (genitive/dative singular; enclitic form)

• सहजा: innate, natural
• सहजा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कान्तिः: lustre, radiance
• कान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पांशुना: by dust
• पांशुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन

• नाशम्: destruction, loss
• नाशम्: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एष्यति: will go/come to (reach)
• एष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन

• पक्ष-अनिल-उत्थेन: by that raised by the wind of (their) wings
• पक्ष-अनिल-उत्थेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (instrumental sense: ‘arisen from wing-wind’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्-समীপ-विचारिणाम्: of those moving about near me
• मत्-समীপ-विचारिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक) + विचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (locative relation: ‘moving near me’), पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speakers

• A forest-dwelling ascetic/character in the frame narrative addressing the situation near him (with birds nearby); exact speaker varies by recension/edition

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Forest-āśrama life
• Austerity and discomfort
• Detachment vs. concern for bodily appearance
• Frame-story setup (Dharmapakṣi milieu)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse highlights a subtle tension in ascetic life: even in a forest setting meant for vairāgya (dispassion), concern for bodily lustre can persist. It implicitly invites the practitioner to notice and outgrow attachment to appearance and comfort.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This belongs primarily to the Purāṇic frame narrative and ethical/behavioral texture rather than the core pañcalakṣaṇa topics (sarga, pratisarga, vaṁśa, manvantara, vaṁśānucarita). At most, it supports vaṁśānucarita/contextual narration by setting the scene for ensuing instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Dust stirred by the ‘wing-wind’ can be read symbolically as rajas (restlessness) generated by contact with moving tendencies (vicāra/saṅga). ‘Natural radiance’ then signifies sattvic clarity; the verse points to how proximity to agitation—external or internal—obscures innate luminosity.