Shloka 14

Adhyaya 9 — Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra’s Mutual Curse: The Āḍi–Baka Battle and Brahmā’s Pacification

Sanskrit

तौ तु पक्षप्रहाराभ्यामन्योन्यस्योरुविक्रमौ ।

प्रहरन्तौ भयं तीव्रं प्रजानाञ्चक्रतुस् तदा ॥

Transliteration

tau tu pakṣa-prahārābhyām anyonyasyoru-vikramau /

praharantau bhayaṃ tīvraṃ prajānāṃ cakratus tadā

Translation

Nhưng hai kẻ ấy, dũng lực vô song, đã dùng những cú quật của đôi cánh mà đánh nhau; và khi cứ liên tiếp giao kích như vậy, chúng khiến muôn loài sinh linh dấy lên nỗi kinh hãi dữ dội.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन) सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/Emphasis (निपात)

• पक्ष-प्रहाराभ्याम्: with (their) wing-blows
• पक्ष-प्रहाराभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पक्षस्य प्रहारः)

• अन्योन्यस्य: of each other
• अन्योन्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• उरु-विक्रमौ: of great prowess
• उरु-विक्रमौ: Visheshana (विशेषण) of कर्ता
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); कर्मधारयः (उरुः विक्रमः यस्य)

• प्रहरन्तौ: striking
• प्रहरन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Dual; from धातु √हृ (हरणे/हिंसायाम्) with उपसर्ग प्र-

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तीव्रम्: intense
• तीव्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with भयम्

• प्रजानाम्: of the creatures/people
• प्रजानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• चक्रतुः: they caused/made
• चक्रतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); √कृ (करणे)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame-speaker not explicit in this verse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmic conflict
• Portents and fear in the world
• Disruption of natural order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Unchecked rage and rivalry among powerful beings spills over onto the innocent. The verse stresses that violence is not self-contained; it destabilizes society and nature, producing collective fear.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily ancillary to Purāṇic narrative (ākhyāna) rather than a direct pañcalakṣaṇa item; it supports dharma/adharma dynamics in the Devi Mahatmyam’s mythic history (vaṃśānucarita/itihāsa-like narration).

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘wing-blows’ can be read as the collision of expansive forces (rajas/tamas) whose agitation produces collective trembling in the ‘prajā’ (the embodied field). It foreshadows the need for a restoring, sattvic power.