Shloka 16

Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

अक्षयाणि किलैतानि विवर्तन्ते सम मातले । अनुभावप्रयुक्तानि सुरैरवजितानि ह

Transliteration

akṣayāṇi kilaitāni vivartante sma mātale | anubhāva-prayuktāni surair avajitāni ha deva-sārathe ||

Translation

Kaṇva said: “Indeed, O Mātali, these weapons are imperishable. When set in motion by their inherent power, they strike down the foe and then return again to the hand of their rightful master. Formerly the Dānavas employed them according to their strength; but now the gods have conquered them and brought them under their own authority, O charioteer of the Devas.”

Word by Word

• {'akṣayāṇi': 'imperishable, inexhaustible (weapons that do not perish or run out)', 'kila': 'indeed, it is said

• emphatic particle', 'etāni': 'these', 'vivartante sma': 'used to return/turn back (narrative past with sma)', 'mātale': 'O Mātali (vocative), Indra’s charioteer', 'anubhāva': 'inherent power, potency, efficacy', 'prayuktāni': 'employed, discharged, set in motion', 'suraiḥ': 'by the gods (Devas)', 'avajitāni': 'conquered, won over, brought under control', 'ha': 'indeed

• narrative particle', 'deva-sārathi': 'charioteer of the gods

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• कण्व (Kaṇva)
• मातलि (Mātali)
• देवाः/सुराः (Devas)
• दैत्याः/दानवाः (Daityas/Dānavas)
• अस्त्र-शस्त्र (divine weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power is not merely possession but rightful control aligned with cosmic order: even extraordinary weapons are portrayed as returning to their legitimate master, and their transfer from Dānavas to Devas signals a moral-political shift toward divinely sanctioned authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva addresses Mātali and explains the nature of certain divine weapons: they are imperishable and, once discharged, strike the enemy and return to the wielder. He notes that these were once used by the Dānavas, but the Devas have since conquered and taken control of them.