Shloka 30

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

अश्वतर उवाच जगद्धात्रीमहं देवीमारिराधयिषुः शुभाम् ।

स्तोष्ये प्रणम्य शिरसा ब्रह्मयोनिṃ सरस्वतीम् ॥

Transliteration

aśvatara uvāca jagaddhātrīm ahaṁ devīm ārirādhayiṣuḥ śubhām | stoṣye praṇamya śirasā brahma-yonim sarasvatīm ||

Translation

อัศวตรกล่าวว่า—ด้วยปรารถนาจะบูชาทำให้พระเทวีผู้เป็นมงคล ผู้ทรงค้ำจุนโลกพอพระทัย ข้าพเจ้าจักก้มเศียรนอบน้อมแล้วสรรเสริญพระสรัสวตี ผู้เป็นบ่อเกิดแห่งพรหมา।

Word by Word

• अश्वतरः: Aśvatara (name)
• अश्वतरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगत्-धात्रीम्: the sustainer of the world
• जगत्-धात्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (jagataḥ dhātrī = sustainer of the world); विशेषणम् देवीम्/सरस्वतीम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• आरिराधयिषुः: wishing to propitiate
• आरिराधयिषुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थक-तुमुन्/इषु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (desiderative agent noun/adjective: ‘wishing to propitiate’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषणम् अहम्-शब्दस्य

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; विशेषणम् देवीम्/सरस्वतीम्

• स्तोष्ये: I will praise
• स्तोष्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having bowed’

• शिरसा: with (my) head
• शिरसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• ब्रह्म-योनिम्: source of Brahmā/Brahman
• ब्रह्म-योनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ yoniḥ = source of Brahman/creator)

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ब्रह्मयोनिम्-शब्दस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

Speakers

• Aśvatara (Nāga king)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sarasvatī

Shakti Aspects

• Sarasvatī as Jagaddhātrī; Sarasvatī as Brahma-yoni

Key Themes

• Śākta stotra
• Devotion as means (ārādhana)
• Vāk and vidyā theology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Approaching knowledge and accomplishment begins with humility (praṇāma) and praise; Sarasvatī is invoked as the sustaining intelligence behind ordered life and right speech.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Stotra within narrative (Ākhyāna). No direct pañcalakṣaṇa classification.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Brahma-yoni’ points to the matrix of mantra and revelation: Sarasvatī is the subtle source from which articulated reality (vāk) and sacred cognition arise.