Shloka 8

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

क्षितावक्षततेजास्त्वं कृमीणामिव शुष्यताम् ।

गजघण्टां समुत्पाट्य कृतवान् दुःखरेचनम् ॥

Transliteration

kṣitāvakṣata-tejās tvaṃ kṛmīṇām iva śuṣyatām /

gaja-ghaṇṭāṃ samutpāṭya kṛtavān duḥkharecanam //

Translation

你的精力正在衰减耗散，如虫豸枯干一般。你撕下象铃，遂招致痛苦的涤除（即悲惨而凄苦的结局）。

Word by Word

• kṣitau: on the ground
• kṣitau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• akṣata-tejāḥ: with unimpaired vigor
• akṣata-tejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣata + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि-समासः—‘अक्षतं तेजो यस्य सः’ (whose vigor is uninjured)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛmīṇām: of worms
• kṛmīṇām: Upamāna-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमावाचक अव्यय)

• śuṣyatām: (that are) drying up
• śuṣyatām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) in Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी बहुवचन), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं); ‘of those drying up’ (agreeing with kṛmīṇām)

• gaja-ghaṇṭām: the elephant-bell
• gaja-ghaṇṭām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja + ghaṇṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘गजस्य घण्टा’ (elephant-bell)

• samutpāṭya: having torn out
• samutpāṭya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ut-pāṭ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), अव्ययभाव; ‘having torn up/pulled out’

• kṛtavān: you performed/did
• kṛtavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद-पर्याय), कृदन्त ‘क्तवत्’ used as finite: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘he/you did’

• duḥkha-recanam: removal of suffering
• duḥkha-recanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha + recana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘दुःखस्य रेचनम्’ (removal/expulsion of suffering)

Speakers

• Uncertain from the single-verse extract (likely an admonitory voice within the early narrative frame); not part of Devi Mahatmyam proper

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karmic consequence
• Didactic admonition
• Decline of vitality (tejas)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse functions as a reprimand: reckless or improper action leads to the wasting of one’s tejas (vital potency) and culminates in painful results. The imagery warns that strength and status are fragile when misused, and that harmful deeds ‘rip away’ one’s own well-being.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita data. It best aligns indirectly with vaṃśānucarita-style narrative instruction (didactic counsel embedded in story), rather than cosmological creation or manvantara chronology.

What is the esoteric significance?

Tejas symbolizes inner radiance and disciplined power. ‘Tearing off the elephant-bell’ suggests a violent, prideful disruption of order (elephant as emblem of strength/royal power; bell as regulated signal). The ‘painful purging’ implies that disorderly acts force a cleansing through suffering—karma expelling impurity via duḥkha.