Shloka 28

Adhyāya 71: Kaca and the Saṃjīvanī-vidyā

Devayānī–Śukra Episode

Devanagari script

तेजसस्तपसश्रैव कोपस्य च महात्मन: । त्वमप्युद्धिजसे यस्य नोद्विजेयमहं कथम्‌,जिन महात्माके तेज, तप और क्रोधसे आप भी उद्विग्न हो उठते हैं, उनसे मैं कैसे नहीं डरूँगी?

Transliteration

tejasas tapasaś caiva kopasya ca mahātmanaḥ | tvam apy udvijase yasya nodvijeyam ahaṃ katham ||

Translation

“That great-souled one’s spiritual radiance, austerity, and even anger make you yourself tremble—how then could I not be afraid?”

Word by Word

तेजसःof (his) splendor/energy

तपसःof (his) austerity

चand

एवindeed/just

कोपस्यof (his) anger

चand

महात्मनःof the great-souled one

त्वम्you

अपिalso/even

उद्विजसे(you) are agitated/are frightened

यस्यof whom/whose

नnot

उद्विजेयाto be afraid/ought to fear (i.e., should be frightened)

अहम्I

कथम्how?

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कण्व (Kaṇva)

म

महात्मा (unnamed great-souled person referred to)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral psychology of power: tapas (austerity) and tejas (spiritual potency) command reverence, and when such power is joined with kopa (anger), it becomes fearsome. It implies an ethical caution—great spiritual force should be governed by restraint, and others naturally respond with fear when anger accompanies sanctity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva responds to another person’s visible fear, reasoning that if even they are shaken by the great-souled figure’s radiance, austerity, and wrath, then Kaṇva’s own fear is entirely understandable. The line functions as a justification of apprehension in the presence of formidable ascetic power.