Shloka 8
Paurava-vaṃśa-kathana (Account of the Paurava Lineage) | महाभारत आदि पर्व अध्याय ८९
दृष्टवा च त्वां सूर्यपथात् पतन्तं वैश्वानरार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् । कि नु स्विदेतत् पततीति सर्वे वितर्कयन्त: परिमोहिता: सम:,तुम्हारा तेज सूर्य और अग्निके सदृश है। तुम अप्रमेय शक्तिशाली जान पड़ते हो। तुम्हें सूर्यके मार्गसे गिरते देख हम सब लोग मोहित होकर इस तर्क-वितर्कमें पड़े हैं कि 'यह क्या गिर रहा है?”
dṛṣṭvā ca tvāṃ sūryapathāt patantaṃ vaiśvānārārkadyutim aprameyam | ki nu svid etat patatīti sarve vitarkayantaḥ parimohitāḥ smaḥ ||
Seeing you fall from the path of the sun—your radiance like that of Vaiśvānara (fire) and the sun, and your power beyond measure—we have all been thrown into bewilderment. Confounded, we keep debating among ourselves: ‘What indeed is this that is falling?’
अट्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary phenomena and overwhelming tejas can cloud discernment: even many observers, instead of seeing clearly, fall into moha and speculative debate. Ethically, it points to the need for steadiness of understanding when confronted with the marvelous or frightening.
Aṭka addresses a radiant being seen falling from the sun’s course. The onlookers, struck by the figure’s sun-and-fire-like brilliance and seemingly immeasurable power, become bewildered and argue among themselves about what exactly is falling from the sky.