Shloka 23

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानम् — Maṇi-Kuṇḍala Retrieval and Entry into Nāgaloka

Chapter 57

Devanagari script

निक्षिप्तमेतद्‌ भुवि पन्नगास्तु रत्नं समासाद्य परामृशेयु: । यक्षास्तथोच्छिष्ट धृतं सुराश्च निद्रावशाद्‌ वा परिधर्षयेयु:

Transliteration

nikṣiptam etad bhuvi pannagās tu ratnaṃ samāsādya parāmṛśeyuḥ | yakṣās tathocchiṣṭa-dhṛtaṃ surāś ca nidrāvaśād vā paridharṣayeyuḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“若将这耳环置于地上，蛇族那伽得见此宝，必会攫取。若在不净之时佩戴，夜叉将夺而去；若佩而入睡，甚至诸天也可能强行夺走。”

Word by Word

• निक्षिप्तम्: placed, deposited
• निक्षिप्तम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निक्षिप् (धातु) → निक्षिप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भुवि: on the ground, on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (स्त्री) / भूमि (स्त्री) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• पन्नगाः: serpents
• पन्नगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: indeed, but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• रत्नम्: jewel
• रत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समासाद्य: having reached/obtained
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु) → समासाद्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• परामृशेयुः: would seize/snatch
• Type: Verb
• Root: परा-√मृश् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यक्षाः: yakshas
• यक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• उच्छिष्ट: in an impure state (after eating, etc.)
• उच्छिष्ट: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धृतम्: worn, held
• धृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• निद्रावशात्: due to the power of sleep, from sleep’s sway
• निद्रावशात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• परिधर्षयेयुः: would forcibly take away/rob
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√धृष् (धातु) (causative sense in usage here)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• pannagāḥ (Nāgas/serpents)
• Yakṣas
• surāḥ (Devas/gods)
• ratna (jewel)
• kuṇḍala (earrings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Valuable and power-laden possessions demand disciplined guardianship: do not leave them carelessly, maintain ritual and moral cleanliness in their use, and remain alert—negligence (carelessness, impurity, or sleep) invites loss and disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker warns about the peril of mishandling a precious pair of earrings: if set on the ground, serpents will snatch them; if worn while impure, Yakṣas will take them; and if one sleeps while wearing them, even the gods may forcibly seize them—highlighting constant risk around coveted treasure.