Shloka 18

अध्याय २५६ — श्रद्धा, अहिंसा, स्पर्धा-त्यागः

Tūlādhāra–Jājali: Faith, Non-harm, and Renunciation of Rivalry

Devanagari script

तामाहूय तदा देवो लोकानामादिरीश्वर: । मृत्यो इति महीपाल जहि चेमा: प्रजा इति

Transliteration

tām āhūya tadā devo lokānām ādir īśvaraḥ | mṛtyo iti mahīpāla jahi cemāḥ prajā iti ||

Translation

那罗陀说：于是，那位神圣的主宰——诸世界的本源与统御者——召她近前。称她为“死亡”，说道：“噢，国王啊，击倒这些众生；使他们按时走向周期性的消亡。”

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आहूय: having called (summoned)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययीभाव-रूप), कर्तरि

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)

• देवः: the god (Brahmā)
• देवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• आदिः: the origin/first cause
• आदिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृत्यो: O Death
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• जहि: slay/destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• इमाः: these
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• इति: thus (end of quotation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahmā (the Lord, origin of the worlds)
• Mṛtyu (Death personified)
• Mahīpāla (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Death is presented as a divinely instituted duty within dharma: a necessary, regulated force that sustains cosmic balance by ensuring beings do not persist indefinitely and that cycles of time, karma, and renewal can proceed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada recounts that the supreme lord of the worlds (Brahmā) calls a female figure to him, names her “Mṛtyu” (Death), and commands her to destroy beings at their appointed times—establishing death as an ordained cosmic function.