Shloka 16

Devanagari script

भयानकानि विषये व्यालादीनि न सन्ति मे । मन्त्रगुप्तानि भूतानि न हिंसन्ति भयंकरा:

Transliteration

bhayānakāni viṣaye vyālādīni na santi me | mantragoptāni bhūtāni na hiṃsanti bhayaṃkarāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “In my domain there are no terrifying dangers such as serpents and other wild creatures. Even fearsome beings do not harm, for they are restrained and kept in check by sacred mantras.”

Word by Word

भयानकानिterrifying (things)

विषयेin (my) domain/territory

व्यालादीनिserpents and the like

नnot

सन्तिare/exist

मेof me / my

मन्त्रगुप्तानिprotected by mantras

भूतानिbeings/creatures

नnot

हिंसन्तिharm/attack

भयंकराःterrible (ones)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

viṣaya (domain/territory)

vyāla (serpents/wild creatures)

mantra (sacred formula)

bhūta (beings/creatures)

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?

A well-ordered realm is one where threats are restrained rather than unleashed; spiritual discipline (mantra) symbolizes ethical and ritual control that prevents even naturally fearsome forces from causing harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a territory as being free from frightening dangers like serpents and other wild beings, explaining that even formidable creatures do not attack because they are held in check through mantric protection.