Shloka 6
देव–विष्णु–संवादः । कालेयगणस्य समुद्राश्रयः । अगस्त्योपसर्पणम्
Devas and Viṣṇu on the Kāleyas; Approach to Agastya
ते हेमकवचा भूत्वा कालेया: परिघायुधा: । त्रिदशानभ्यवर्तन्त दावदग्धा इवाद्रय:
te hemakavacā bhūtvā kāleyāḥ parighāyudhāḥ | tridaśān abhyavartanta dāvadagdhā ivādrayaḥ ||
Clad in golden armor and wielding iron clubs, the Kāleyas surged against the gods. They advanced like mountains scorched by a forest-fire—dark, fierce, and irresistible—embodying the reckless force that rises when power is severed from restraint and right conduct.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical contrast: sheer might—symbolized by golden armor and heavy clubs—becomes destructive when ungoverned by dharma. The terrifying simile of fire-scorched mountains suggests that power without restraint turns into a force that threatens cosmic order.
The Kāleyas, armed and armored, charge toward the Tridaśas (the gods). Their onrush is compared to mountains blackened by a forest fire, emphasizing their ferocity and the impending intensity of the battle.