Shloka 16

Kubera’s Arrival and the Disclosure of Agastya’s Curse

Vaiśaṃpāyana–Janamejaya Narrative

Devanagari script

तिर्यग्योनिगताश्ैव अपि कीटपिपीलिका: । मनुष्यानुपजीवन्ति ततस्त्वमपि जीवसि

Transliteration

tiryagyoni-gatāś caiva api kīṭa-pipīlikāḥ | manuṣyān upajīvanti tatas tvam api jīvasi ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు చెప్పెను— “తిర్యగ్జన్మలలో పుట్టిన పురుగులు, చీమలు కూడా మనుష్యులపై ఆధారపడి జీవిస్తాయి; అందువల్ల నీవు కూడా (మనుష్యుల ఆధారంతోనే) జీవిస్తున్నావు.”

Word by Word

तिर्यग्योनिगताःgone to (born in) animal wombs

एवindeed/even

अपिalso/even

कीटपिपीलिकाःworms and ants

मनुष्यान्human beings

उपजीवन्तिlive by/depend on

ततःtherefore/from that

त्वम्you

अपिalso/even

जीवसिyou live

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

humans (manuṣyāḥ)

worms/insects (kīṭāḥ)

ants (pipīlikāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Life is sustained through dependence and support; if even small creatures survive by relying on humans, one should recognize interdependence and avoid pride, cultivating humility and responsibility toward other beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana makes an illustrative observation about worms and ants living by relying on humans, using it to underscore a point about how the addressed person’s own survival is likewise enabled by broader support and conditions.