Shloka 6

Nirmaryāda-saṃgrāma-varṇana — The Unbounded Clash and Bhīṣma’s Rallying Presence

Devanagari script

दौ भूतसर्गौ“ लोकेडस्मिन्‌ दैव आसुर एव च । दैवो विस्तरश: प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शूणु

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | dvau bhūtasargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca | daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “In this world there are two kinds of created dispositions among beings—the divine and the demonic. The divine has been explained in detail; now, O Pārtha, listen from me about the demonic.”

Word by Word

द्वौtwo

भूतसर्गौclasses/creations of beings

लोकेin the world

अस्मिन्in this

दैवःthe divine (type)

आसुरःthe demoniac (type)

एवindeed/only

चand

दैवःthe divine (type)

विस्तरशःin detail

प्रोक्तःhas been stated/declared

आसुरम्the demoniac (type)

पार्थO son of Pritha (Arjuna)

मेof me / my

शृणुhear/listen

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Pārtha (Arjuna as son of Pṛthā)

loka (the world)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 frames ethical life as shaped by two broad dispositions—daiva (divine, dharma-aligned) and āsura (demonic, dharma-opposed). It prepares the listener to recognize traits and choices that elevate or degrade character, making moral discernment central to right action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna signals a transition in the discourse: after the divine qualities have been described, he requests (or introduces) the explanation of the demonic qualities. The teaching is being organized as a contrastive ethical taxonomy to guide conduct amid the pressures of conflict and duty.