Shloka 5
Bhāgīratha’s Tapas and the Petition to Gaṅgā (गङ्गावतरण-प्रसङ्गः)
ते घोरा: क्रूरकर्माण आकाशपरिसर्पिण: । बहुत्वाच्चावजानन्त:सर्वाललोकान् सहामरान्,वे सब-के-सब भयंकर स्वभाववाले और क्रूरकर्मा थे। आकाशमें भी सब ओर घूम- फिर सकते थे। उनकी संख्या अधिक होनेके कारण वे देवताओंसहित सम्पूर्ण लोकोंकी अवहेलना करते थे
te ghorāḥ krūrakarmāṇa ākāśaparisarpiṇaḥ | bahutvāc cāvajānantaḥ sarvāl lokān sahāmarān ||
كانوا جميعًا مروّعين في طباعهم، قساةً في أفعالهم. يسيحون في الآفاق عبر السماء، ولِكَثرتهم استكبروا فازدرَوا العوالم كلَّها—حتى العوالم التي تحرسها الآلهة.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that power—especially when backed by numbers—can foster arrogance and contempt for moral and cosmic order. Such disdain for the worlds and even the gods signals adharma and invites eventual correction through dharma.
The speaker describes a group of fearsome, cruel-acting beings who can move through the sky. Because they are many, they become overconfident and scorn all realms, even those associated with the gods.