Shloka 18

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

आमस्तकतालाद्यस्तु निमग्नं पङ्कसागरे ।

स्वप्ने पश्यत्यथात्मानं स सद्यो म्रियते नरः ॥

Transliteration

āmastakatalādyastu nimagnaṃ paṅkasāgare / svapne paśyatyathātmānaṃ sa sadyo mriyate naraḥ

Translation

اگر کوئی مرد خواب میں اپنے آپ کو کیچڑ کے سمندر میں سر کی چوٹی تک دھنسا ہوا دیکھے تو وہ مرد فوراً ہی موت کو پہنچتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• ā-mastaka-tala-ādiḥ: (one who is) up to head and soles (i.e., entirely)
• ā-mastaka-tala-ādiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of ‘naraḥ’ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + mastaka + tala + ādi (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आ-पूर्वकः: ‘up to the soles of the feet, etc.’)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• nimagnam: submerged/sunk
• nimagnam: Karma-predicative (कर्मणि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + √majj (मज्ज्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with implied ‘ātmānam’ (self)

• paṅka-sāgare: in a sea of mud
• paṅka-sāgare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṅka + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (पङ्कस्य सागरः)

• svapne: in a dream
• svapne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• atha: then/and
• atha: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (निपात/अव्यय)

• ātmānam: himself/self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• mriyate: dies
• mriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛ (मृ)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular

• naraḥ: a man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

Speakers

• Dialogue-frame not explicit in the given excerpt; presented as generalized śāstra-style prognostication within the Purāṇa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Omens
• Dream interpretation
• Mortality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames human life as fragile and time-bound; it encourages vigilance, repentance, and completion of duties (dharma) when ominous signs arise.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

It does not primarily serve sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita; it belongs to ancillary dharma-śāstra material (upadharma) embedded in Purāṇic discourse.

What is the esoteric significance?

Being swallowed by mire symbolizes tamas (inertia, delusion) overwhelming consciousness; ‘immediate death’ can be read as the collapse of agency when one is fully engulfed by tamasic bondage.