Shloka 14

Adhyaya 2 — The Lineage of Garuda and the Birth of the Wise Birds: Kanka and Kandhara

Sanskrit

पानासक्तमतिं तत्र तं ददर्श निशाचरम् ।

आताम्रवक्त्रनयनं हेमपर्यङ्कमाश्रितम् ॥

Transliteration

pānāsaktamatiṃ tatra taṃ dadarśa niśācaram |

ātāmravaktranayanaṃ hemaparyaṅkamāśritam ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น เขาได้เห็นสรรพชีวิตผู้ท่องราตรี ผู้มีจิตติดอยู่กับการดื่มสุรา; ใบหน้าและดวงตาแดงดุจทองแดง และนอนเอนกายบนแท่นบรรทมทองคำ।

Word by Word

• पान: drinking, liquor
• पान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound; neuter)

• आसक्त: attached, addicted
• आसक्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√सञ्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with मति/मतिं in compound)

• मतिम्: mind, disposition
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (pronoun)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निशाचरम्: a night-roamer (demon)
• निशाचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निशायां चरः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आ: towards/fully (intensifier)
• आ: Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (prefix) in compound

• ताम्र: coppery, reddish
• ताम्र: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक (in compound), neuter stem

• वक्त्र: face, mouth
• वक्त्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (in compound)

• नयनम्: eye
• नयनम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (in compound)

• आताम्रवक्त्रनयनम्: whose face and eyes were copper-red
• आताम्रवक्त्रनयनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-ताम्र-वक्त्र-नयन (प्रातिपदिक; components: आ + ताम्र + वक्त्र + नयन)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्य वक्त्रं नयनं च आताम्रम्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (qualifying निशाचरम्)

• हेम: gold
• हेम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (in compound)

• पर्यङ्कम्: couch, bed
• पर्यङ्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्यङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हेमपर्यङ्कम्: a golden couch
• हेमपर्यङ्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम-पर्यङ्क (प्रातिपदिक; components: हेम + पर्यङ्क)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हेमस्य पर्यङ्कः / golden couch), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रितम्: having resorted to, seated on
• आश्रितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (qualifying निशाचरम्)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (third-person description within the Purāṇic frame); specific interlocutors not explicit in this single verse

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Depiction of tamasic excess (intoxication)
• Characterization of a niśācara

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse functions as moral characterization: addiction to drink (pānāsakti) and the reddened eyes/face signal a tamasic, undisciplined state. In Purāṇic ethics, such sensory enslavement is a common marker of decline in discernment (viveka) and a precursor to harmful conduct.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily an element of Vaṃśānucarita / narrative episode rather than the cosmological cores (Sarga, Pratisarga, Manvantara). It supports the Purāṇa’s storytelling frame by introducing or describing a character encountered in the unfolding account.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the ‘night-roamer’ (niśācara) evokes the mind moving in darkness (avidyā). The golden couch suggests outward splendor masking inner disorder—luxury without sattva. The copper-red eyes/face can be read as the heat of passion and intoxication clouding inner vision.