Shloka 55

Devanagari script

तेन ज्यातलघोषेण सर्वे लोका: समाकुला: । बभूवुर्वशगा: पार्थ निपेतुश्च सुरासुरा:,पार्थ! उनके धनुषकी प्रत्यंचाके गम्भीर घोषसे अत्यन्त व्याकुल हो सम्पूर्ण लोक उनके अधीन हो गये। देवता और असुर सभी धरतीपर गिर पड़े

Transliteration

tena jyātalaghoṣeṇa sarve lokāḥ samākulāḥ | babhūvur vaśagāḥ pārtha nipetuś ca surāsurāḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: Durch jenes tiefe, widerhallende Dröhnen der Bogensehne gerieten alle Welten in Aufruhr. O Pārtha, sie kamen unter seine überwältigende Gewalt; selbst Götter und Asuras wurden niedergetroffen und stürzten zu Boden—ein Zeichen dafür, dass schiere Kriegsmacht Wesen über alle Sphären hinweg bezwingen und die sittliche Ordnung des Krieges erschüttern kann.

Word by Word

तेनby that

ज्यातलघोषेणby the sound of the bowstring

सर्वेall

लोकाःworlds/people

समाकुलाःagitated, thrown into confusion

बभूवुःbecame

वशगाःsubmissive, under control

पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)

निपेतुःfell down

चand

सुरासुराःgods and asuras

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Pārtha (Arjuna)

jyā (bowstring)

lokāḥ (the worlds)

surāḥ (devas)

asurāḥ (asuras)

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 highlights the overwhelming psychological and even cosmic impact of martial force: a single display of power can subdue and unsettle all beings. Ethically, it cautions that war’s might can eclipse discernment, so dharma must restrain power rather than be replaced by it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa describes a moment when the thunderous sound of a bowstring terrifies and overwhelms the worlds; gods and asuras alike collapse to the ground, indicating an extraordinary warrior’s dominance and the awe it inspires.