Shloka 4

The Greatness of the Revā (Narmadā): Release from the Piśāca Curse

Devanagari script

तत्र पूर्वकर्मबलात्पिशाचः सह वै द्विजः । समीक्ष्य लोमशं राजन्साष्टांगं प्रणिपत्य च

Transliteration

tatra pūrvakarmabalātpiśācaḥ saha vai dvijaḥ | samīkṣya lomaśaṃ rājansāṣṭāṃgaṃ praṇipatya ca

Translation

అక్కడ పూర్వకర్మబలంతో ఆ పిశాచుడు మరియు ఆ ద్విజుడు—ఇద్దరూ—లోమశుని చూచి, ఓ రాజా, అష్టాంగ నమస్కారంతో సాష్టాంగంగా ప్రణమించారు.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• पूर्व-कर्म-बलात्: due to the power of past deeds
• पूर्व-कर्म-बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पूर्वस्य कर्मणः बलम्)

• पिशाचः: a piśāca
• पिशाचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपसर्गसदृश (with)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• द्विजः: the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समीक्ष्य: having observed
• समीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having looked at)

• लोमशम्: Lomaśa
• लोमशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• स-अष्टाङ्गम्: with all eight limbs
• स-अष्टाङ्गम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; द्वितीया एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (with eight limbs; i.e., full prostration)

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bowed/prostrated)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic dialogue), addressing the King (rājan)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पूर्वकर्मबलात्पिशाचः → पूर्व-कर्म-बलात् पिशाचः; राजन्साष्टांगं → राजन् स-अष्टाङ्गम्

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa

FAQs

What does this verse indicate about the power of past karma (pūrvakarma)?

It states that their actions—approaching and revering the sage—are propelled by the force of previous deeds, highlighting karma as a determining influence on present conduct and encounters.

Why is sāṣṭāṅga praṇāma (eight-limbed prostration) significant here?

It signals complete humility and reverence; the verse emphasizes that even beings of different moral or ontological status (a piśāca and a brāhmaṇa) acknowledge the spiritual authority of a revered ṛṣi.

What ethical lesson is conveyed by the piśāca and the dvija bowing to Lomasha?

Respect for holiness and wisdom is presented as transformative and universally accessible; the proper response to genuine spiritual greatness is humility, regardless of one’s background or condition.