Shloka 44

Adhyaya 91 — The Gods’ Hymn to Kātyāyanī and the Goddess’ Prophecy of Future Manifestations

Sanskrit

ततः शतेन नेत्राणां निरीक्षिष्यामि यन्मुनीन् ।

कीर्तयिष्यन्ति मनुजाः शताक्षीमिति मां ततः ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śatena netrāṇāṃ nirīkṣiṣyāmi yan munīn | kīrtayiṣyanti manujāḥ śatākṣīm iti māṃ tataḥ ||

Translation

అప్పుడు నేను వంద కళ్లతో ఆ ఋషులను దర్శిస్తాను; ఆపై ప్రజలు నన్ను ‘శతాక్షీ’ (వంద నేత్రాలది) అని కీర్తిస్తారు।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb (thereafter)

• śatena: with a hundred
• śatena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• netrāṇām: of eyes
• netrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nirīkṣiṣyāmi: I will look at/observe
• nirīkṣiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• yat: which (those)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun) used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'which' qualifying munīn

• munīn: sages
• munīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kīrtayiṣyanti: will praise/celebrate
• kīrtayiṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kīrt (धातु, denominative/causative sense)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• manujāḥ: people
• manujāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śatākṣīm: Śatākṣī (hundred-eyed one)
• śatākṣīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatākṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः द्विगु (śata-akṣī = hundred-eyed)

• iti: thus/as
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग अव्यय (quotative particle)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb (thereafter/then)

Speakers

• Devī (as narrator/speaker) within the Devi Mahatmyam frame

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Durgā/Caṇḍikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Śatākṣī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Compassionate gaze of the Goddess
• Naming through kīrtana
• Sage-centered invocation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Devī’s ‘many-eyed’ vision conveys vigilant care: the divine sees suffering directly and responds. It also elevates the role of sages as custodians of dharma whose well-being is tied to the world’s well-being.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita (narrative of divine activity) with emphasis on nāma-kīrtana (name/praise) as a purāṇic devotional device.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Hundred eyes’ can indicate expanded awareness (jñāna-dṛṣṭi). The gaze upon munis suggests that higher insight stabilizes the world; Devī personifies that stabilizing awareness.