Shloka 2

Adhyaya 10 — Jaimini’s Questions on Birth, Death, Karma, and the Embodied Journey

Sanskrit

कथं सञ्जायते जन्तुः कथं वा सविवर्धते ।

कथं वोदरमध्यस्थस्तिष्ठत्यङ्गनिपीडितः ॥

Transliteration

kathaṃ sañjāyate jantuḥ kathaṃ vā savivardhate |

kathaṃ vodaramadhyasthas tiṣṭhaty aṅganipīḍitaḥ ||

Translation

Paano nalilihi ang isang nilalang, at paano ito lumalaki? At paano ito nananatili sa gitna ng sinapupunan, naiipit ng mga sangkap ng katawan (ng ina at ng sarili nitong pagkakakulong)?

Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb (कथम्)

• sañjāyate: is born / comes into being
• sañjāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपदम्

• jantuḥ: a creature, embryo
• jantuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, interrogative adverb

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction/alternative particle (वा)

• sa-vivardhate: grows, develops
• sa-vivardhate: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु) + vi- (उपसर्ग) + sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; sa- is upasarga ‘sam-’ (सं) in sandhi

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, interrogative adverb

• vā: and/or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction/alternative particle

• udara-madhya-sthaḥ: situated in the middle of the womb
• udara-madhya-sthaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘udara-madhye sthitaḥ’ (situated in the middle of the belly/womb)

• tiṣṭhati: stands/remains
• tiṣṭhati: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• aṅga-nipīḍitaḥ: pressed/strained in the limbs
• aṅga-nipīḍitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ni-pīḍita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘nipīḍita’ from √pīḍ (पीड्) with ni-; तत्पुरुषः—‘aṅgaiḥ nipīḍitaḥ’ (pressed by limbs)

Speakers

• Jaimini to the Birds (Dharmapakṣīs)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Embryology (Purāṇic/Āyurvedic style inquiry)
• Suffering in embodiment
• Origin of life
• Philosophical anthropology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By foregrounding the cramped vulnerability of gestation, the text cultivates vairāgya (dispassion) and compassion: embodied life begins in limitation, so pride and cruelty are irrational.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is ancillary teaching supporting Sarga/Pratisarga (creation and re-creation at the level of individual birth) rather than dynastic Vaṃśa narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

The womb symbolizes saṃsāra: the jīva is ‘pressed’ by guṇas and karmic forces, and liberation requires knowledge of the causes of embodiment, not mere fascination with its mechanics.