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Shloka 24

समुद्रवर्णनम् (Description of the Ocean) — Kadrū and Vinatā approach the sea

दहत्‌ क्वचिज्ज्वलन इवावलेलिहत्‌ प्रसह तानसुरगणान्‌ न्‍्यकृन्तत । प्रवेरितं वियति मुहुः क्षितौ तथा पपौ रणे रुधिरमथो पिशाचवत्‌,श्रीहरिके हाथोंसे चलाया हुआ सुदर्शन चक्र कभी प्रज्वलित अग्निकी भाँति अपनी लपलपाती लपटोंसे असुरोंको चाटता हुआ भस्म कर देता और कभी हठपूर्वक उनके टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर डालता था। इस प्रकार रणभूमिके भीतर पृथ्वी और आकाशकमें घूम- घूमकर वह पिशाचकी भाँति बार-बार रक्त पीने लगा

dahat kvacij jvalana ivāvalelihat prasaha tān asuragaṇān nyakṛntata | praveritaṃ viyati muhuḥ kṣitau tathā papau raṇe rudhiram atho piśācavat ||

Śaunaka sprach: Von Śrī Haris Hand vorangetrieben, loderte der Sudarśana-Diskus wie Feuer—zuweilen, als leckten flammende Zungen die Heere der Asuras, verbrannte er sie zu Asche; zuweilen zerschnitt er sie mit unerbittlicher Gewalt in Stücke. Immer wieder kreisend durch Himmel und Erde im Schlachtfeld, schien er, wie ein piśāca, das Blut wieder und wieder zu trinken—ein Bild, das den furchterregenden Schwung göttlicher Vergeltung zeigt, wenn Adharma ins Feld zieht.

दहत्burning
दहत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदह्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
क्वचित्sometimes
क्वचित्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्वचित्
ज्वलनःfire, flame
ज्वलनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्वलन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अवलेलिहत्licking all around
अवलेलिहत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअव-लेलिह्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रसहforcibly, violently
प्रसह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रसह
तान्those (them)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
असुरगणान्hosts of asuras
असुरगणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअसुरगण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
न्यकृन्तत्cut down, severed
न्यकृन्तत्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृत् (कर्तने)
Formनि (→ न्य्), लङ् (imperfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
प्रवेरितम्impelled, set in motion
प्रवेरितम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-ईर्/ईरय्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
वियतिin the sky
वियति:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवियत्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
मुहुःagain and again
मुहुः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमुहुः
क्षितौon the earth, on the ground
क्षितौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षिति
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
पपौdrank
पपौ:
TypeVerb
Rootपा (पिबति)
Formलिट् (perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
रुधिरम्blood
रुधिरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरुधिर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अथthen, and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
पिशाचवत्like a piśāca (ghoul)
पिशाचवत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपिशाचवत्

शौनक उवाच

Ś
Śaunaka
S
Sudarśana-cakra
A
Asuras
B
Battlefield (raṇa)
S
Sky (viyat)
E
Earth (kṣiti)
P
Piśāca (as simile)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses stark battlefield imagery to convey that when destructive forces aligned with adharma rise, divine power—symbolized by the Sudarśana-cakra—acts with uncompromising swiftness. Ethically, it frames violence not as random cruelty but as a terrifying instrument of cosmic correction, warning that wrongdoing can invite overwhelming consequences.

Śaunaka describes the Sudarśana discus in motion: it alternately burns the asura hosts like blazing fire and slices them apart, repeatedly circling through the air and across the ground. The comparison to a piśāca ‘drinking blood’ intensifies the scene’s horror and emphasizes the weapon’s relentless, unstoppable action in battle.