Shloka 6
The Slaying of Devāntaka, Durdharṣa, and Durmukha
स जघान त्रिभिर्बाणैः कालमृत्युसमप्रभैः । प्रचिच्छेद स धर्मात्मा ते त्वन्यैर्विशिखैस्त्रिभिः
sa jaghāna tribhirbāṇaiḥ kālamṛtyusamaprabhaiḥ | praciccheda sa dharmātmā te tvanyairviśikhaistribhiḥ
Er traf ihn mit drei Pfeilen, lodernd wie Zeit und Tod; dann zerschnitt ihn jener, der rechtschaffen war. Doch sie wiederum griffen mit drei anderen scharfen Geschossen an.
Narrator (contextual battle description; specific speaker not explicit in this single shloka)
Concept: Even in violent conflict, the text contrasts destructive force with ‘dharmātman’ restraint—suggesting righteousness as an inner stance amid outer turmoil.
Application: When conflict arises, act with discipline and ethical limits; recognize time’s pressure without surrendering to cruelty.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two warriors face off in a dust-choked arena as three arrows streak forward like incarnations of Time and Death—dark cores rimmed with white-hot flame. The ‘dharmātman’ counters with a precise, luminous cut, splintering shafts midair into a rain of glowing fragments.","primary_figures":["Yama","Unnamed opponent (dharmātman archer)"],"setting":"Open battlefield with churned earth, broken chariots at the periphery, banners snapping in harsh wind.","lighting_mood":"dramatic storm-lit","color_palette":["charcoal gray","ember orange","iron silver","blood red","electric white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dynamic archers with exaggerated heroic posture; three flaming arrows rendered with gold leaf highlights and embossed trails; ornate armor with ruby-green accents; background storm clouds in deep indigo; decorative border with chakra motifs to hint cosmic order.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: crisp, elegant archers in profile; delicate depiction of arrows intersecting midair; muted earth tones with sudden bright white-orange arrow flames; distant hills and a pale sky, refined facial features and lyrical motion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized musculature; arrows as thick flame-tipped forms; red-yellow-green dominant with black cloud masses; temple-wall composition with rhythmic repetition of three arrows.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with three arrow trails forming a floral-like triad; ornate borders of lotuses and vines; deep blue ground with gold detailing; figures stylized, emphasizing cosmic symbolism over realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["bowstring twang","war drums","conch blast","gusting wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्रिभिर्बाणैः = त्रिभिः + बाणैः (विसर्ग/रुत्व-सन्धि: ः + ब् → र्ब्). त्वन्यैः = तु + अन्यैः (उ + अ → व; written as त्व). विशिखैस्त्रिभिः = विशिखैः + त्रिभिः (ः + त् → स्त्).
FAQs
The term 'dharmātmā' denotes the virtuous or righteous-minded warrior in the scene; this shloka alone does not name him, so identification depends on the surrounding verses of Adhyaya 70.
It is a poetic intensifier: the arrows are said to shine or strike with the dread power of Time (Kāla) and Death (Mṛtyu), emphasizing inevitability and overwhelming force in combat.
It frames the conflict as governed by dharma—suggesting the combatant acts with righteous intent or in a just cause—an important Purāṇic way of distinguishing legitimate force from mere violence.