Shloka 84

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

Sanskrit

यावदद्य स्थितास्तस्मिन्नचले धर्मपक्षिणः ।

तपः स्वाध्यायनिरताः समाधौ कृतनिश्चयाः ॥

Transliteration

yāvad adya sthitās tasminn acale dharmapakṣiṇaḥ /

tapaḥ svādhyāyaniratāḥ samādhau kṛtaniścayāḥ

Translation

ఈనాటికీ ఆ పర్వతంపై ధర్మపక్షి పక్షులు నివసిస్తున్నాయి—తపస్సు, వేదస్వాధ్యాయంలో నిమగ్నమై, సమాధిలో దృఢనిశ్చయంతో ఉన్నవి।

Word by Word

• yāvat: as long as; until
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल-सीमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal/limit particle (अव्यय; कालपरिमाणवाचक)

• adya: today; now
• adya: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• sthitāḥ: standing; remaining
• sthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धाातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; used predicatively

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular

• acale: on the mountain; in the immovable (mountain)
• acale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular

• dharma-pakṣiṇaḥ: the righteous birds (dharma-birds)
• dharma-pakṣiṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: dharmasya pakṣiṇaḥ); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; object of implied practice/engagement

• svādhyāya-niratāḥ: engaged in self-study
• svādhyāya-niratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + nirata (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √ram/√rañj? in sense 'engaged')
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सप्तमी/तृतीया-भाव: svādhyāye niratāḥ = engaged in self-study); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; adjective to dharmapakṣiṇaḥ

• samādhau: in meditation; in samādhi
• samādhau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular

• kṛta-niścayāḥ: firmly resolved; having made a determination
• kṛta-niścayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (क्त from √kṛ, धातु) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष sense: kṛto niścayo yeṣām / kṛta-niścaya = having made a resolve); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; adjective to dharmapakṣiṇaḥ

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the frame-story concerning the Dharmapakṣins (wise birds); situated in the Jaimini–Mārkaṇḍeya framing tradition of the Purāṇa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Tapas (austerity)
• Svādhyāya (Vedic study)
• Yoga
• Samādhi
• Frame narrative

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents an ideal of sustained spiritual life: steadfast residence in a sacred place (acala) paired with disciplined practice—tapas (self-restraint), svādhyāya (scriptural study), and samādhi (inner absorption). Ethically, it implies that dharma is preserved not merely by speech but by long-term commitment and inner certainty (kṛtaniścaya).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is best classified under secondary Purāṇic framing material rather than the core pañcalakṣaṇa topics. It supports dharma-śikṣā (instruction on righteous living) and the narrative framework that houses later accounts (including manvantara and dynastic materials), but it is not itself a direct instance of sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the ‘birds of Dharma’ suggest higher discernment that can move between realms (outer ritual and inner realization). Their being ‘on the mountain’ evokes stability and elevation of consciousness; tapas and svādhyāya purify and inform the mind, while samādhi is the culminating integration—implying that true dharma is anchored in contemplative certainty, not fluctuating opinion.