Shloka 77
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
पंकादेव भयान्मोहान्मतिभ्रंशोऽभवत्ततः । अथ किल्बिषकूटेन दग्धमेव पुरं च तत्
paṃkādeva bhayānmohānmatibhraṃśo'bhavattataḥ | atha kilbiṣakūṭena dagdhameva puraṃ ca tat
Dann geriet sein Geist aus dem eigenen Morast heraus — durch Furcht und Verblendung — in Verwirrung; und darauf wurde jene Stadt wahrlich vom Haufen der Sünde (kilbiṣa) verbrannt.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (narratorial voice within Adhyaya 76)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: city
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पंकादेव = पङ्कात् + एव; भयान्मोहान्मतिभ्रंशोऽभवत् = भयात् + मोहात् + मतिभ्रंशः + अभवत्; किल्बिषकूटेन = किल्बिष-कूटेन
FAQs
It links inner downfall (fear, delusion, loss of discernment) with outer catastrophe, presenting destruction as the fruit of accumulated wrongdoing (kilbiṣa).
It suggests a piled-up mass of sin—accumulated demerit from actions—that ripens into tangible suffering and ruin.
Guarding the mind from fear-driven delusion and maintaining right judgment (mati) is essential, because moral error compounds and can culminate in severe consequences.