Shloka 22

Adhyaya 2 — The Wise Birds

Sanskrit

तिष्ठ क्षणं नात्र जीवन् पतगाधम यास्यसि । इत्युक्त्वाञ्जनपुञ्जाभं विमलं खड्गमाददे ॥

Transliteration

tiṣṭha kṣaṇaṃ nātra jīvan patagādhama yāsyasi / ityuktvāñjanapuñjābhaṃ vimalaṃ khaḍgam ādade //

Translation

"Đứng yên một lát; ngươi sẽ không rời khỏi nơi này khi còn sống đâu, hỡi con chim đê tiện!" Nói xong, hắn cầm lấy một thanh kiếm không tì vết, đen như một khối thuốc bôi mắt (collyrium).

Word by Word

• tiṣṭha: stand, stay
• tiṣṭha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• kṣaṇam: for a moment
• kṣaṇam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कालपरिमाण (duration)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• jīvan: alive
• jīvan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīv (धातु) → jīvat (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial participle) ‘alive’

• pataga-adhama: O lowest of birds
• pataga-adhama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataga (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: ‘adhamaḥ patagaḥ’

• yāsyasi: you will go
• yāsyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) → uktvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having said’

• añjana-puñja-ābham: dark like a heap of collyrium
• añjana-puñja-ābham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: añjana (प्रातिपदिक) + puñja (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to ‘khaḍgam’; ‘añjana-puñjasya ābhaḥ’ = having the lustre/appearance of a heap of collyrium (very dark)

• vimalam: spotless, bright
• vimalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to ‘khaḍgam’

• khaḍgam: sword
• khaḍgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• ādade: took up
• ādade: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā+√dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• An aggressor/hostile figure addressing a bird (contextual speaker not specified in the supplied excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Conflict
• Threat/violence
• Narrative progression
• Dharma (implicit: condemnation of cruelty)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse portrays uncontrolled aggression—speech that dehumanizes (“adhama”) followed by immediate violence (drawing the sword). In Purāṇic ethics, such impulsive cruelty is a marker of adharma and sets up narrative consequences: rash intent invites downfall, while the threatened party (often a dharmic being) becomes the occasion for a moral reversal.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is best classified under vaṃśānucarita / narrative episode (accounts of persons and events), rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa proper. It serves as connective storytelling within the Purāṇa’s broader composition.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the “bird” can represent the mobile mind or the jīva seeking escape, while the drawn sword represents sharp, divisive force—anger and egoic will. The contrast of a sword described as both dark (añjana-like) and spotless (vimala) can suggest the paradox of power: an instrument may be intrinsically ‘pure’ (effective/keen) yet become ‘dark’ in outcome when wielded under tamasic intent.