Shloka 21

उच्चैःश्रवसः वर्णविपणः तथा नागशापः

Uccaiḥśravas Color-Wager and the Nāga Curse

Devanagari script

वारुणानि च भूतानि विविधानि महीधर: । पातालतलवासीनि विलयं समुपानयत्‌,मन्दराचलने वरुणालय (समुद्र) तथा पातालतलमें निवास करनेवाले नाना प्रकारके प्राणियोंका संहार कर डाला

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca |

vāruṇāni ca bhūtāni vividhāni mahīdharaḥ |

pātālatala-vāsīni vilayaṃ samupānayat |

Translation

Sinabi ni Śaunaka: Ang tagapasan ng bundok ay naghatid ng pagkapuksa sa sari-saring nilalang na sakop ni Varuṇa, at sa mga naninirahan sa kailaliman ng Pātāla. Sa pagkalog ng Mandara, maging ang mga nilalang ng kaharian ng dagat at ng daigdig sa ilalim ay nadamay sa kapahamakan—isang pangyayaring nagpapakita na ang mga gawaing kosmiko, bagaman nakatuon sa mas mataas na pakinabang, ay maaaring magdala ng di-sinasadyang pagdurusa sa mas maliliit na nilalang.

Word by Word

• वारुणानि: Varuṇa-related, aquatic
• वारुणानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विविधानि: various, diverse
• विविधानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• महीधरः: the mountain (Mandara)
• महीधरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पातालतलवासीनि: dwelling on the netherworld levels
• पातालतलवासीनि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पातालतल-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विलयम्: destruction, dissolution
• विलयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुपानयत्: brought (to), caused to reach
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+नी (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Varuṇa
• Pātāla
• Mandara (implied by context: Mandarācala-manthana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that even grand, world-shaping undertakings can produce unintended harm to vulnerable beings; ethical reflection includes noticing such collateral suffering within larger cosmic narratives.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka describes how, during the upheaval associated with the Mandara churning, creatures of Varuṇa’s oceanic domain and residents of Pātāla were driven to destruction by the violent disturbance.