Shloka 50

Genealogies from Purūravas to the Haihayas; Jayadhvaja’s Vaiṣṇava Resolve, Sage-Adjudication, and the Slaying of Videha

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्राकरालो दीप्तात्मा युगान्तदहनोपमः / शूलमादाय सूर्याभं नादयन् वै दिशो दश

Transliteration

daṃṣṭrākarālo dīptātmā yugāntadahanopamaḥ / śūlamādāya sūryābhaṃ nādayan vai diśo daśa

Translation

Schrecklich mit hervortretenden Fangzähnen, im Geist strahlend wie das Feuer am Ende der Weltzeit, ergriff er einen Dreizack, sonnengleich lodernd, und ließ mit seinem Brüllen die zehn Himmelsrichtungen erbeben.

Word by Word

• दंष्ट्रा-करालः: with dreadful fangs
• दंष्ट्रा-करालः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दंष्ट्राभिः करालः) ‘having fearsome fangs’

• दीप्त-आत्मा: radiant-souled
• दीप्त-आत्मा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √दीप्) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘whose self is blazing’

• युगान्त-दहन-उपमः: like the end-of-age fire
• युगान्त-दहन-उपमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युगान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दहन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘like the fire at the end of an age’

• शूलम्: a spear/trident
• शूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having taken’

• सूर्य-आभम्: sun-bright
• सूर्य-आभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘sun-like’ qualifying शूलम्

• नादयन्: resounding
• नादयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘making resound’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण (indeed)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘directions’ (acc. pl.)

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (ten) qualifying दिशः

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic recitation tradition, describing a divine/terrible form in the episode)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Śūla (Trident)
• Yugānta (end-of-age dissolution)
• Ten directions (daśa diśaḥ)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By portraying a radiant, end-of-time fire-like presence, the verse points to the Supreme as both immanent power and transcendent cosmic force—capable of dissolution and protection, beyond ordinary limitation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No step-by-step practice is stated, but the imagery aligns with Pāśupata-Śaiva contemplation of Rudra’s tejas (spiritual radiance) and bhairava-like awe, used to dissolve fear and ego through focused remembrance of the divine’s cosmic sovereignty.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The trident and yugānta-fire imagery are strongly Śaiva, yet appear within the Kurma Purana’s broader Vaiṣṇava frame—supporting the text’s synthesis where one Supreme reality manifests through both Rudra and Viṣṇu forms for dharma’s protection.