Shloka 23

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

Sanskrit

शृण्वन्तावपि तौ वाक्यं ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः ।

कोपामर्षसमाविष्टौ युयुधाते न तस्थतुः ॥

Transliteration

śṛṇvantāv api tau vākyaṃ brahmaṇo 'vyakta-janmanaḥ /

kopāmarṣa-samāviṣṭau yuyudhāte na tasthatuḥ

Translation

Dẫu đã nghe lời của Brahmā, Đấng sinh từ Vô Hiển, hai kẻ ấy—bị cơn giận và oán hờn chi phối—vẫn tiếp tục giao chiến, không hề dừng lại.

Word by Word

• शृण्वन्तौ: (the two) listening
• शृण्वन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तौ इति विशेषण

• अपि: even, although
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘even/also’ (particle)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: whose birth is unmanifest
• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (avyaktaṃ janma yasya = “whose birth is unmanifest”); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः इति विशेषण

• कोपामर्षसमाविष्टौ: possessed by anger and resentment
• कोपामर्षसमाविष्टौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक) + अमर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-आ-विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कोप-अमर्षेण समाविष्टौ = “possessed by anger and indignation”); समाविष्ट = क्त-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तौ इति विशेषण

• युयुधाते: they two fought
• युयुधाते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• तस्थतुः: they two stood/stopped
• तस्थतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Narrative voice; Brahmā’s counsel is referenced

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Obstinacy in anger
• Ignoring wise counsel
• Escalation requiring stronger resolution

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Hearing advice is not the same as receiving it. When kopa and amarṣa dominate, even authoritative instruction fails; this implies the need for inner discipline and, at times, decisive corrective power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative illustrating the mechanics of adharma (anger/resentment) within mythic history; not a direct pañcalakṣaṇa enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Brahmā’s ‘Unmanifest’ epithet points to subtle truth; yet the combatants remain bound to gross agitation. Symbolically, when consciousness is seized by reactive patterns, even subtle insight cannot immediately arrest the momentum.