Shloka 82
Devanagari script
पुराणि न च तं शेकुर्दानिवा: प्रतिवीक्षितुम्
Transliteration
purāṇi na ca taṃ śekur dānivāḥ prativīkṣitum
Translation
Selbst die Alten vermochten es nicht, ihn direkt anzublicken; so schrecklich und überwältigend war der Anblick.
Word by Word
पुराणिancient (things/ones)
पुराणि:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपुराण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शेकुःwere able
शेकुः:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
दानिवाःthe Dānavas (demons)
दानिवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रतिवीक्षितुम्to look at, to behold
प्रतिवीक्षितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-वि-ईक्ष्
FormTumun (infinitive), Parasmaipada (usage)
Speaker
व्यास उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
व्यास (Vyāsa)त
तम् (an unnamed 'him' in context)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
The verse highlights the psychological and ethical weight of war: when violence reaches an extreme, even the most experienced elders cannot bear to witness its results, pointing to the profound human cost that accompanies adharma and unchecked brutality.
Vyāsa describes a moment where an unnamed figure’s appearance or condition is so terrifying or grievous that even venerable, long-experienced persons are unable to look at him directly.