Shloka 85

Adhyaya 3 — Birth of the Birds

Sanskrit

इति मुनिवरलब्धसत्क्रियास्ते मुनितनया विहगत्‍वमभ्युपेताः ।

गिरिवरगहनेऽतिपुण्यतोये यतमनसो निवसन्ति विन्ध्यपृष्ठे ॥

Transliteration

iti munivaralabdhasatkriyāste munitanayā vihagatvam abhyupetāḥ |

girivaragahane ’tipuṇyatoye yatamanaso nivasanti vindhyapṛṣṭhe ||

Translation

ต่อมา เมื่อได้รับเกียรติและการต้อนรับอันสมควรจากเหล่าฤๅษีผู้ประเสริฐ บุตรแห่งฤๅษีเหล่านั้นก็ยอมรับสภาพเป็นนก ด้วยจิตที่สำรวม พวกเขาพำนักตามไหล่เขาวินธยะ ในพนไพรภูเขาอันงดงามซึ่งมีสายน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ยิ่งนัก।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle (अव्यय; इत्यादि-वचनसूचक)

• muni-vara-labdha-sat-kriyāḥ: having received good hospitality from the best sage
• muni-vara-labdha-sat-kriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + labdha (क्त from √labh, धातु) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa; overall adjective to te (they): 'having obtained (labdha) good reception/service (sat-kriyā) from the best of sages (muni-vara)'; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• muni-tanayāḥ: sons of the sage
• muni-tanayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: muneḥ tanayāḥ); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• vihagatvam: birdhood; the state of being birds
• vihagatvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihaga-tva (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित -त्व)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; abstract noun in -tva

• abhyupetāḥ: having assumed; having attained
• abhyupetāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + upa + i (√i, धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; with object vihagatvam

• giri-vara-gahane: in the dense forest of the best mountain
• giri-vara-gahane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + gahana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa/Karmadhāraya sense: 'dense forest (gahana) of the excellent mountain (giri-vara)'; Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular

• ati-puṇya-toye: in (a place with) very holy water
• ati-puṇya-toye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: 'exceedingly holy water'; Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (toye) qualifying the place

• yata-manasāḥ: with controlled minds
• yata-manasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yata (क्त from √yam, धातु) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: 'whose minds are restrained'; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; adjective to implied subject (they)

• nivasanti: they dwell
• nivasanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + √vas (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• vindhya-pṛṣṭhe: on the back/ridge of the Vindhya
• vindhya-pṛṣṭhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vindhya (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: vindhyasya pṛṣṭhe); Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the frame-story context (Dharmapakshi tradition/background)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Ascetic self-restraint (yama/saṃyama)
• Sacred geography (Vindhya)
• Merit/purity of holy waters
• Transformation (becoming birds)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse links inner discipline with sacred dwelling: even in altered states (here, birdhood), the ideal is a restrained mind (yata-manas). It also emphasizes satkriyā—proper honoring of the worthy—as a dharmic act that sustains righteous communities and supports spiritual continuity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily it belongs to Vaṃśānucarita/Carita (narrative of persons/lineages and exemplary beings) within the Purāṇic storytelling frame, rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa proper. It functions as connective tissue for the broader discourse rather than chronological manvantara data.

What is the esoteric significance?

Birdhood can be read symbolically as a liminal, elevated perspective—beings who move between earth and sky—suggesting impartial discernment and swift insight. The Vindhya forest with ‘exceedingly holy waters’ signifies a purified inner landscape; the ‘restrained mind’ indicates that true sanctity is completed by inner control, not place alone.