Shloka 45

Adhyaya 2 — The Lineage of Garuda and the Birth of the Wise Birds: Kanka and Kandhara

Sanskrit

अथर्षिः शिष्यसहितो घृष्टामुत्पाट्य विस्मितः ।

अमातृपितृपक्षाणि शिशुकानि ददर्श ह ॥

Transliteration

atharṣiḥ śiṣyasahito ghaṣṭām utpāṭya vismitaḥ | amātṛpitṛpakṣāṇi śiśukāni dadarśa ha ||

Translation

于是圣者偕同弟子撕开那筑巢的草丛，惊异地看见几只幼雏，竟无父母在旁照料。

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• ऋषिः: the sage
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शिष्यसहितः: accompanied by disciples
• शिष्यसहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्य-सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शिष्यैः सहितः = with disciples)

• घृष्टाम्: a (door-)bolt/fastening (ghṛṣṭā)
• घृष्टाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृष्टा (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्पाट्य: having pulled out
• उत्पाट्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्+पट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having torn out/uprooted’

• विस्मितः: astonished
• विस्मितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally)

• अमातृपितृपक्षाणि: without mother and father’s side (parentless)
• अमातृपितृपक्षाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-मातृ-पितृ-पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः; ‘मातृपितृपक्ष’ = parents’ side/party; ‘अ-’ = without

• शिशुकानि: infants
• शिशुकानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (Purana narrator) describing the rishi and his disciples; no direct speech in this verse

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Dharma inquiry
• Wonder (vismaya) as a trigger for instruction
• Compassion and duty toward dependents

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Astonishment at seemingly “unsupported” life (young birds without visible parents) becomes the occasion for dharma-clarification: appearances can conceal deeper orders of support (ṛta/dharma). Ethically, it foregrounds responsibility toward the vulnerable—those who seem without protectors—preparing the ground for instruction on right conduct and hidden agencies that sustain beings.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily falls under Vamśānucarita / Ākhyāna (narrative episode within the Purana’s instructional frame), rather than direct Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vamśa exposition. It functions as a framing incident that leads into dharma-teaching.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘parentless’ fledglings symbolically point to beings who appear severed from worldly supports (mother/father = immediate causes), yet are upheld by subtler causality—dharma, karma, and the cosmic order. The rishi uprooting the clump can also signify the probing of surface reality to uncover the hidden structure beneath, a prelude to receiving wisdom from unexpected sources.