Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तं चैवाड्कगतं दृष्टवा बालं पजचशिखं पुन: । उमा जिज्ञासमाना वै को<यमित्यब्रवीत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

taṃ caivāṅkagataṃ dṛṣṭvā bālaṃ pañcaśikhaṃ punaḥ | umā jijñāsamānā vai ko 'yam ity abravīt tadā ||

Translation

她又见他化现为一名五绺发髻的孩童，坐在自己膝上；乌玛渴求明了真相，当即问诸天神：“此人是谁？”

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अङ्कगतं: having come into (her) lap; seated on the lap
• अङ्कगतं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्कगत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• बालं: the boy/child
• बालं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चशिखं: having five tufts/crests
• पञ्चशिखं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चशिख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• उमा: Umā
• उमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जिज्ञासमाना: inquiring; wishing to know
• जिज्ञासमाना: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जिज्ञासमान
• Form: शानच् (present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• bāla (the child with five śikhās)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic inquiry: before reacting, one should seek true knowledge of a person’s identity and nature. Even Umā models respectful questioning, implying that discernment and humility precede right action.

What is happening in the narrative?

A mysterious being appears again as a child with five hair-tufts and is seen sitting in Umā’s lap. Umā, wanting clarity, asks the assembled gods, “Who is this?”—prompting identification and explanation in the surrounding passage.