Shloka 36

Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

अथ काले व्यतिक्रान्ते महत्यतिभयंकरे

Transliteration

atha kāle vyatikrānte mahātyatibhayaṃkare

Translation

Then, when that time had passed—an hour of immense and extraordinary terror—the narrative turns to what followed after the peak of dread had run its course.

Word by Word

• अथ: then, now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• काले: in/at the time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यतिक्रान्ते: having passed/elapsed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+अति+क्रम्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महति: in a great (state/occasion)
• महति: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अतिभयंकरे: in (something) extremely terrifying
• अतिभयंकरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-भयङ्कर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical realism: even the most terrifying crises are bounded by time. Recognizing that dreadful phases pass encourages steadiness (dhairya) and clear judgment rather than panic-driven action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana marks a transition: a particularly dreadful period in the battle narrative has elapsed, and the story is about to describe the subsequent developments after that peak of fear.