Shloka 58

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

वृष्ट्यावरणुद्धैरभवत् स्रोतः खातानि निम्नगाः ।

ये पुरस्तादपां स्तोका आपन्नाः पृथिवीतले ॥

Transliteration

vṛṣṭy-āvaruddhair abhavat strotaḥ khātāni nimnagāḥ /

ye purastād apāṃ stokā āpannāḥ pṛthivī-tale //

Translation

เมื่อสายน้ำฝนถูกกีดขวาง จึงเกิดเป็นลำธารและร่องทางแม่น้ำ—คือหยดน้ำที่ก่อนนั้นตกลงบนผิวแผ่นดิน

Word by Word

• vṛṣṭyā: by rain
• vṛṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• avaruddhaiḥ: by (things) blocked/obstructed
• avaruddhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-√rudh (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• abhavat: became/was
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• srotaḥ: a stream/channel
• srotaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: srotas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• khātāni: dug
• khātāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √khan (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nimna-gāḥ: rivulets/streams (flowing to low ground)
• nimna-gāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimna (प्रातिपदिक) + √gam (धातु) + ṭa (ट)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष 'going to low places' (river/stream)

• ye: which/that (those)
• ye: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• purastāt: formerly/before
• purastāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल/देशवाचक-अव्यय) 'formerly/in front'

• apām: of waters
• apām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• stokāḥ: drops/small quantities
• stokāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• āpannāḥ: reached/arrived
• āpannāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pad (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past active/mediopassive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pṛthivī-tale: on the earth’s surface
• pṛthivī-tale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष 'on the surface of the earth'

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Markandeya Purana (frame not explicit in given excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Hydrology
• Ecology
• Origins of rivers

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Obstruction and containment are not only problems but creative forces: when flow meets boundaries, stable pathways (rivers) arise—an image applicable to discipline shaping life-energy and society.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga (structuring of the world) with an emphasis on the emergence of geographic features that enable ongoing Poṣaṇa (nourishment).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Strotaḥ’ represents the mind’s currents; ‘āvaraṇa’ (obstruction) hints at saṃskāra/niyama that channels consciousness into purposeful direction rather than dispersion.