Shloka 173
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
ते वध्यमानास्त्रिदशैर्महात्मभिर्महाबलैर्वेगयुतैर्नदद्भिः । न सेहिरे वेगवतां महात्मनां वेगं तदा धारयितुं दिवौकसाम्
te vadhyamānāstridaśairmahātmabhirmahābalairvegayutairnadadbhiḥ | na sehire vegavatāṃ mahātmanāṃ vegaṃ tadā dhārayituṃ divaukasām
Als sie von den Göttern getroffen wurden — großgesinnt, von ungeheurer Kraft, im Angriff schnell und brüllend — vermochten jene Feinde damals weder den Ansturm zu ertragen noch den Schwung jener mächtigen, stürmischen Himmelsbewohner aufzuhalten.
Narrator (contextual; specific dialogue-speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Adharma cannot withstand the concentrated momentum of dharma-backed power; when righteous forces move in unity, opposition collapses.
Application: Build steady momentum in good habits; wrongdoing often relies on intimidation, but collapses when met with disciplined, collective resolve.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wall of radiant deva-warriors surges forward, their banners snapping in a wind that seems born from their own momentum. The Dānavas recoil, expressions strained, as the roar of the heavenly host bends the very air—an onrush that feels like fate made visible.","primary_figures":["Devas (divaukasaḥ)","Dānavas"],"setting":"A churned battlefield on exposed seabed or cosmic plain, dust and mist spiraling around charging ranks, broken chariots and scattered armor implied.","lighting_mood":"storm-lit","color_palette":["electric gold","iron black","smoky violet","blood red","ashen white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: densely packed deva host with gold leaf on armor and halos, dynamic diagonals showing forward ‘vega’, Dānavas pushed back in darker palette, roaring mouths and flaring nostrils stylized, ornate weaponry with gem highlights, dramatic contrast and gilded energy lines.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: swift motion conveyed through flowing scarves and angled spears, subtle dust clouds, expressive faces of fear and strain among Dānavas, cool grays and violets with selective gold, refined linework capturing momentum.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold, rhythmic battle frieze with repeated warrior forms, thick outlines, intense reds and yellows for devas, deep greens/blacks for Dānavas, stylized sound-roar motifs as curling bands, temple narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: patterned battle procession with ornate borders, devas as luminous band advancing, Dānavas as receding band, decorative swirls representing roar and wind, gold highlights on weapons, intricate motifs filling negative space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["battle drums","roaring chorus","conch blasts","metallic clang","gusting wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वध्यमानास्त्रिदशैः = वध्यमानाः + त्रिदशैः; महात्मभिः = महात्मभिः (समास-रूप); महाबलैर्वेगयुतैर्नदद्भिः = महाबलैः + वेगयुतैः + नदद्भिः; धारयितुं दिवौकसाम् = धारयितुम् + दिवौकसाम्
FAQs
Both are epithets for the Devas: tridaśa literally means “the thirty” (a traditional count of gods), and divaukas means “dwellers in heaven.”
It emphasizes the irresistible momentum and power of the Devas in a cosmic conflict—those being attacked are unable to withstand the gods’ force.
The verse reinforces the Purāṇic theme that divine forces uphold cosmic order (dharma), and that adharma ultimately cannot endure against the sanctioned power of the Devas.