Shloka 25

Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मदण्डं महाघोरं कालाग्निसमतेजसम्‌ । नाशयिष्यामि मात्र त्वं भयं कार्षी: कथंचन,कालाग्निके समान दाहक और अत्यन्त भयंकर शापका यहाँ मैं अवश्य नाश कर डालूँगा। अत: आप उससे किसी तरह भय न करें

Transliteration

brāhmadaṇḍaṃ mahāghoraṃ kālāgnisamatejasam | nāśayiṣyāmi mātra tvaṃ bhayaṃ kārṣīḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Āstīka sprach: „Jenen Straf-Fluch des Brahmanen — höchst schrecklich, glühend von einer Kraft wie das Feuer der Zeit selbst — werde ich gewiss unwirksam machen. Darum fürchte ihn auf keine Weise.“

Word by Word

ब्रह्मदण्डम्the Brahma-rod (i.e., Brahma’s curse/punitive power)

महाघोरम्very terrible

कालाग्नि-सम-तेजसम्having brilliance equal to the fire of Time (cosmic fire)

नाशयिष्यामिI will destroy

माdo not

अत्रhere

त्वम्you

भयम्fear

कार्षीःyou should do/make (i.e., entertain)

कथंचनin any way; at all

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Āstīka

brāhmadaṇḍa (Brahminical curse/punitive power)

kālāgni (the fire of Time)

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?

Spiritual authority and righteous resolve can counter even terrifying destructive forces; the verse emphasizes reassurance, protection, and the ethical duty to remove fear when one has the capacity to avert harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Āstīka promises to nullify a dreadful Brahminical curse—described as blazing like the fire of Time—and consoles the addressed ‘mother’ figure, urging her not to fear.