Shloka 8

Garuḍa Learns the Cause of Vinatā’s Bondage and the Nāgas Demand Amṛta (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 23)

Devanagari script

प्रवृद्ध;/ सहसा पक्षी महाकायो नभोगत: । घोरो घोरस्वनो रौद्रो वह्निरौर्व इवापर:,उनका शरीर थोड़ी ही देरमें बढ़कर विशाल हो गया। पक्षी गरुड आकाशमें उड़ चले। वे स्वयं तो भयंकर थे ही, उनकी आवाज भी बड़ी भयानक थी। वे दूसरे बड़वानलकी भाँति बड़े भीषण जान पड़ते थे

Transliteration

pravṛddhaḥ sahasā pakṣī mahākāyo nabhogataḥ | ghoro ghorasvano raudro vahnir aurva ivāparaḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: Im selben Augenblick wuchs der Vogel zu ungeheurer Größe heran und stieg in den Himmel auf. Schrecklich an Gestalt und furchtbar im Ruf, erschien er wie ein weiteres Aurva-Feuer—ein alles verzehrender Brand—und kündete von unwiderstehlicher Macht und Gefahr im Fortgang der Erzählung.

Word by Word

प्रवृद्धःgrown, increased

सहसाsuddenly

पक्षीbird

महाकायःhuge-bodied

नभोगतःmoving in the sky, sky-going

घोरःterrible

घोरस्वनःhaving a dreadful sound/cry

रौद्रःfierce, dreadful

वह्निःfire

और्वःof Aurva; (as) the submarine fire

इवlike, as

अपरःanother, a second

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Garuḍa

Aurva-fire (Aurva/Āurva vahni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the image of Garuḍa becoming vast and fearsome like the Aurva-fire to convey that extraordinary power, when awakened, can be overwhelming and unstoppable; it invites ethical reflection on how such force should be directed and restrained by dharma in the larger narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka describes Garuḍa suddenly expanding to a gigantic form, soaring through the sky, and sounding a terrifying cry—an emphatic portrayal of his might and the ominous intensity of the episode.