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Shloka 61

Adhyaya 2The Lineage of Garuda and the Birth of the Wise Birds: Kanka and Kandhara

द्विजाः किं वातियत्नेन मार्यन्ते कर्मभिः स्वकैः ।

रक्ष्यन्ते चाखिला जीवा यथैते पक्षिबालकाः ॥

dvijāḥ kiṃ vāti yatnena māryante karmabhiḥ svakaiḥ | rakṣyante cākhilā jīvā yathaite pakṣibālakāḥ ||

اے دو بار جنم لینے والو، محض ذاتی کوشش سے کیا حاصل ہوتا ہے؟ جاندار اپنے ہی اعمال کے سبب موت کو پہنچتے ہیں؛ اور تمام مخلوقات کی حفاظت بھی ہوتی ہے—جیسے اِن ننھے پرندوں کی۔

द्विजाःtwice-born (brahmins/birds)
द्विजाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
किम्what?/why?
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative particle)
वातिblows
वाति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
यत्नेनby effort
यत्नेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
मार्यन्तेare killed
मार्यन्ते:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootमृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिजन्त कर्मणि/भावे: ‘are caused to die/are killed’
कर्मभिःby actions/deeds
कर्मभिः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
स्वकैःby their own
स्वकैः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कर्मभिः)
रक्ष्यन्तेare protected
रक्ष्यन्ते:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootरक्ष् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive): ‘are protected’
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: and)
अखिलाःall
अखिलाः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying जीवाः)
जीवाःliving beings
जीवाः:
Karta (कर्ता) / (of passive: subject)
TypeNoun
Rootजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
यथाjust as
यथा:
Upamāna-bodha (उपमानबोध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative: as/just as)
एतेthese
एते:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
पक्षिबालकाःyoung birds/chicks
पक्षिबालकाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पक्षिणां बालकाः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
Likely within the frame-discourse associated with the wise birds (Dharmapakṣis) addressing human interlocutors; exact speaker assignment varies by recension/edition.

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

KarmaDharmaProvidence vs. human effortCompassion toward living beingsMoral instruction via exemplum (young birds)

FAQs

The verse balances two truths: beings suffer consequences of their own karma (‘death by one’s deeds’), yet there is also an ordering principle by which life is sustained (‘all beings are protected’). Ethically, it discourages pride in mere exertion and invites humility and compassion—illustrated by the vulnerable fledglings whose survival depends on a wider protective order, not their own strength.

This is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita narration; it functions as dharma-upadeśa (ethical-philosophical instruction) embedded in the Purāṇic frame. In pancalakṣaṇa terms, it is ancillary didactic material rather than a core lakṣaṇa passage.

The fledglings can be read as the jīvas: intrinsically limited, unable to secure themselves by ‘yatna’ alone. ‘Karma kills’ points to binding causality; ‘rakṣyante’ hints at an overseeing ṛta/dharma (and, in devotional readings, grace) that sustains embodied life until karmic maturation. The juxtaposition teaches discernment: act rightly, but relinquish egoic certainty about outcomes.