Shloka 17

Adhyaya 9 — Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra’s Mutual Curse: The Āḍi–Baka Battle and Brahmā’s Pacification

Sanskrit

क्ष्मा कम्पमाना जलधीनुद्वृत्ताम्बूंश्चकार च ।

ननामा चैकपार्श्वेन पातालगमनोनमुखी ॥

Transliteration

kṣmā kampamānā jaladhīn udvṛtta-ambūṃś cakāra ca /

nanāmā caika-pārśvena pātāla-gamana-unmukhī

Translation

当大地震颤时，她使诸海翻涌，水浪上腾；她又向一侧倾斜，仿佛转向将坠入地下冥界。

Word by Word

• क्ष्मा: the earth
• क्ष्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्ष्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन)

• कम्पमाना: trembling
• कम्पमाना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प् (धातु)
• Form: Present middle participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शानच्), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; √कम्प् (चलने)

• जलधीन्: oceans
• जलधीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• उद्वृत्त-अम्बून्: waters churned up
• उद्वृत्त-अम्बून्: Karma (कर्म) (object-complement with चकार)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्वृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; कर्मधारयः (उद्वृत्तानि अम्बूनि)

• चकार: made/caused
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; √कृ (करणे)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• ननामा: bent/leaned
• ननामा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; √नम् (प्रणामे/नतौ)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• एक-पार्श्वेन: with one side
• एक-पार्श्वेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः (एकं पार्श्वम्)

• पाताल-गमन-उन्मुखी: as if facing descent to the netherworld
• पाताल-गमन-उन्मुखी: Visheshana (विशेषण) of क्ष्मा
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + गमन (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्मुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (पातालगमनाय उन्मुखी)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame-speaker not explicit in this verse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmic imbalance
• Ocean upheaval
• Underworld (Pātāla) imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When foundational stability is shaken, even the ‘containers’ of order (oceans, directions, realms) overflow. The Purāṇic imagination links moral turbulence to systemic collapse across levels of reality.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is not a manvantara or genealogy datum; it is narrative cosmography used to magnify the stakes of the episode and justify divine intervention.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Oceans heaving’ can symbolize subconscious contents rising during upheaval; ‘turning toward Pātāla’ suggests descent into darker strata of mind when conflict dominates.