Shloka 48

Garuḍa–Śakra Saṃvāda and the Retrieval of Amṛta (गरुड–शक्र संवादः अमृत-अपहरण-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

शिततीक्ष्णाग्रधाराणि समुद्यम्य सुरोत्तमा: | सविस्फुलिड्गजज्वालानि सधूमानि च सर्वश:

Transliteration

śitatīkṣṇāgradhārāṇi samudyamya surottamāḥ | savisphuliṅgajajvālāni sadhūmāni ca sarvaśaḥ

Translation

Kāśyapa sprach: „Die Vornehmsten der Götter hoben Waffen empor, deren Schneiden scharf und rasiermessergleich waren, und schwangen sie nach allen Seiten — züngelnd vor Feuer, Funken sprühend und von Rauch umwoben.“

Word by Word

शिततीक्ष्णाग्रधाराणिsharp, keen-edged blades (lit. streams/edges with sharp-pointed tips)

समुद्यम्यhaving lifted/raised

सुरोत्तमाःthe best of the gods

सविस्फुलिङ्गजज्वालानिhaving flames born of sparks (spark-producing flames)

सधूमानिsmoke-filled / with smoke

चand

सर्वशःon all sides / entirely

Speaker

कश्यप उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कश्यप (Kāśyapa)

स

सुरोत्तमाः (foremost gods/devas)

weapons (sharp-edged, blazing, smoky)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the terrifying momentum of divine wrath: even exalted beings can be drawn into violent escalation. Implicitly, it highlights the ethical tension in dharma—power must be governed by restraint, or it becomes destructive despite noble status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kāśyapa describes the devas preparing for confrontation: they lift and brandish extremely sharp weapons that blaze with fire, throw off sparks, and emit smoke, indicating imminent battle and heightened intensity on all sides.