Shloka 3

Kāleya-Āśrama-Vināśaḥ — The Kāleyas’ nocturnal raids and the devas’ supplication to Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

आसन कृतयुगे घोरा दानवा युद्धदुर्मदा: । कालकेया इति ख्याता गणा: परमदारुणा:,सत्ययुगकी बात है, दैत्योंके बहुत-से भयंकर दल थे जो कालकेय नामसे विख्यात थे। उनका स्वभाव अत्यन्त निर्दय था। वे युद्धमें उन्‍्मत्त होकर लड़ते थे

Transliteration

āsan kṛtayuge ghorā dānavā yuddha-durmadāḥ | kālakeyā iti khyātā gaṇāḥ paramadāruṇāḥ ||

Translation

Lomaśa sprach: Im Kṛta-Yuga gab es schreckliche Heerscharen der Dānava, berauscht vom Hochmut der Schlacht. Man kannte sie unter dem Namen Kālakeyas—Scharen von Wesen von überaus grausamer Natur, die im Krieg mit rasender Wildheit kämpften.

Word by Word

आसन्were

कृतयुगेin the Kṛta-yuga

घोराःterrible

दानवाःDānavas (demons)

युद्धदुर्मदाःmad with battle / battle-intoxicated

कालकेयाःKālakeyas

इतिthus

ख्याताःknown, famed

गणाःgroups, hosts

परमदारुणाःexceedingly cruel/terrible

Speaker

लोगमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomasha

Kṛta Yuga

Dānavas

Kālakeyas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights yuddha-durmada—battle-intoxicated arrogance—as a mark of adharma. Even in an age idealized for truth (Kṛta Yuga), destructive pride and cruelty can manifest; recognizing such traits is part of ethical discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomasha begins describing an ancient episode from the Kṛta Yuga, introducing the Kālakeya Dānava hosts as famously ruthless and frenzied in warfare, setting the stage for the events that follow in the chapter.