Shloka 28

Devanagari script

विप्रचित्तिप्रधानांश्व दानवानसृजदू दनु: । दितिस्तु सर्वानसुरान्‌ महासत्त्वानजीजनत्‌,दनुने दानवोंको जन्म दिया, जिनमें विप्रचित्ति आदि दानव प्रमुख थे। दिति समस्त असुरों--महान्‌ शक्तिशाली दैत्योंकी जननी हुई

Transliteration

Vipracitti-pradhānāṁś ca dānavān asṛjad ū Danuḥ | Ditis tu sarvān asurān mahāsattvān ajījanat ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: Danu gave birth to the Dānavas, among whom Vipracitti and others were foremost. Diti, however, became the mother of all the Asuras—mighty beings of great power.

Word by Word

विप्रचित्ति-प्रधानान्having Vipracitti as chief (i.e., with Vipracitti foremost)

चand

दानवान्Dānavas (demons, sons of Danu)

असृजत्created, produced

उindeed (emphatic particle)

दनुःDanu

दितिःDiti

तुbut, however

सर्वान्all

असुरान्Asuras

महा-सत्त्वान्great in might/energy

अजीजनत्gave birth to, generated

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Danu

Diti

Vipracitti

Dānavas

Asuras

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames later ethical and political conflicts within a larger cosmic genealogy: powerful adversarial forces have identifiable origins, and understanding lineage helps interpret the emergence of rival dispositions and alliances in the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is recounting mythic origins: Danu produces the Dānavas (with Vipracitti prominent), while Diti is described as the mother of all Asuras—establishing the ancestral background of major non-divine powers.