Shloka 22

Kṛṣṇasya Dvārakā-praveśaḥ — Krishna’s Return to Dvārakā and the Raivataka Festival

Devanagari script

अथ पातयमानस्य बिल्वापदह्वतचक्षुष: । न्यपतंस्तानि बिल्वानि तस्मिन्नेवाजिने विभो

Transliteration

atha pātayamānasya bilvāpadahvata-cakṣuṣaḥ | nyapataṃstāni bilvāni tasminnevājine vibho ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—ఓ విభో! అతడు బిల్వఫలాలను పడవేస్తూ, చూపు బిల్వవృక్షంపైనే నిలిపిన వేళ, ఆ ఫలాలు అదే మృగచర్మంపైనే పడి చేరినవి.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• पातयमानस्य: of (him) who was causing to fall / making fall
• पातयमानस्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पातयमान (पातयति इति धातोः √पत्/पत् + णिच्; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (contextually masculine), Genitive, Singular

• बिल्वापदह्वतचक्षुषः: of him whose eyes were struck/afflicted by a bilva-fruit falling at his feet
• बिल्वापदह्वतचक्षुषः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिल्व-अपद-आह्वत-चक्षुस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• न्यपतन्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (पतति) with नि-
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• बिल्वानि: bilva fruits
• बिल्वानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तस्मिन्: in/onto that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अजिने: on the hide/skin (deerskin)
• अजिने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विभो: O mighty one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• bilva (tree/fruit)
• ājina (hide/skin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how minor, natural events can become decisive turning points, inviting reflection on prudence, interpretation of signs, and the ethical weight of subsequent choices made in response.

What is happening in the narrative?

As someone is being brought down or thrown, his gaze is fixed on a bilva tree; at that moment bilva fruits drop and land on the same hide (ājina), marking a concrete, observable incident within the unfolding scene.