Shloka 41

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

दृष्ट्वारिष्टं तथा योगी त्यक्त्वा मरणजं भयम् ।

तत्स्वभावं तदालोक्य काले यावत्युपागतम् ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā ariṣṭaṃ tathā yogī tyaktvā maraṇajaṃ bhayam / tatsvabhāvaṃ tad ālokya kāle yāvaty upāgatam

Translation

இவ்வாறு அரிஷ்டத்தைப் பார்த்து, யோகி மரணத்தால் உண்டான அச்சத்தை விட்டுவிட்டு, அதன் இயல்பை ஆராய்ந்து, அந்தக் காலம் எவ்வளவு நெருங்கி வந்துள்ளது என்பதை கவனிக்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• अरिष्टम्: misfortune/omen
• अरिष्टम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)

• योगी: the yogi
• योगी: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• मरणजम्: arising from death
• मरणजम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of भयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरणज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: मरणात् जातम् (born of death)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: कर्म (Object of त्यक्त्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; refers to अरिष्टम्

• स्वभावम्: (its) inherent nature
• स्वभावम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः/तत्पुरुषसदृशः: स्वः भावः यस्य/स्वस्य भावः (one’s own nature)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; ‘that’ (again, referring to arishta)

• आलोक्य: having examined
• आलोक्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/Absolutive), ‘having looked at/considered’

• काले: in time, at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc.), एकवचन; ‘in/at time’

• यावति: at which (time), as much as
• यावति: विशेषण (Qualifier of काले)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc.), एकवचन; correlatives: ‘as far as/when’ (agreeing with काले)

• उपागतम्: having come, arrived
• उपागतम्: विशेषण/विधेय (Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘arrived/come’ (qualifying implied ‘arishta’ or ‘time’)

Speakers

• Instructional voice addressing King Alarka (ālarka)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Death-awareness
• Non-fear
• Discernment of signs

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Fear of death is treated as an obstacle to clear seeing; the yogin replaces panic with inquiry—what is the sign’s nature, and what is the practical spiritual response now?

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A teaching on mokṣa-sādhana within narrative instruction, outside the formal five-lakṣaṇa taxonomy.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Approach of time’ can denote the tightening of prāṇa and sensory withdrawal that precede transformation; the yogin uses these thresholds to enter deeper absorption.