Shloka 32

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

अज्ञानपङ्कगर्भस्थमनुद्धारं महामतिः ।

आत्मानञ्च समुत्तीर्णं गाथामेतामगायत ॥

Transliteration

ajñāna-paṅka-garbhastham anuddhāraṃ mahāmatiḥ | ātmānañ ca samuttīrṇaṃ gāthām etām agāyata ||

Translation

Ang dakilang may isip, nang makita ang mga nilalang na lumulubog sa putik—sinapupunan ng kamangmangan—na hindi pa naililigtas, at makita ang sarili na nakatawid na, ay umawit ng ganitong gāthā.

Word by Word

• ajñāna-paṅka-garbha-stham: situated in the womb/mire of ignorance
• ajñāna-paṅka-garbha-stham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (स्थ धातु से कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष): अज्ञानरूपे पङ्के गर्भे स्थितम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (to ātmānam implied/understood)

• anuddhāram: not lifted out/unrescued
• anuddhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuddhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; न-उद्धार (not rescued); विशेषण

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महती मतिः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• ātmānam: the self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• samuttīrṇam: having crossed over/escaped
• samuttīrṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ut + tṝ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; (to ātmānam)

• gāthām: a verse/song
• gāthām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• etām: this
• etām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (to gāthām)

• agāyata: sang/recited
• agāyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speakers

• Narrator voice introducing Alarka’s gāthā

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Avidyā as mire
• Crossing over (tāraṇa)
• Didactic poetry (gāthā)
• Compassionate insight

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Realization brings both freedom and compassion: the liberated person recognizes others’ bondage and teaches through memorable aphoristic verse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic segment within narrative; no direct pañcalakṣaṇa enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Mire of ignorance’ indicates sticky habitual cognition; ‘crossing over’ evokes the Upaniṣadic metaphor of reaching the far shore beyond fear and sorrow.