Shloka 27

प्रावृट्-शरत्-वर्णनम् — Description of the Monsoon and Autumn; Sarasvatī in the Pāṇḍavas’ Exile

Devanagari script

त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां कालान्तकयमोपमम्‌ निःश्वासक्ष्वेडनादेन भर्त्सयन्तमिव स्थितम

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | trāsanaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ kālāntaka-yamopamam | niḥśvāsa-kṣveḍa-nādena bhartsayantam iva sthitam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: There stood that dreadful serpent, terrifying all creatures—like Kālāntaka and Yama themselves—seeming to rebuke and cow others by the thunder of its breath and its hissing roar. The passage underscores how fear can arise from sheer force and appearance, testing the steadiness and discernment of those who face it.

Word by Word

• त्रासनम्: terror, frightening (one)
• त्रासनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रासन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• कालान्तकयमोपमम्: like Kālāntaka and Yama
• कालान्तकयमोपमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालान्तक-यम-उपम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• निःश्वासक्ष्वेडनादेन: by (his) exhalation and roaring sound
• निःश्वासक्ष्वेडनादेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्वास-क्ष्वेड-नाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भर्त्सयन्तम्: rebuking, threatening
• भर्त्सयन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भर्त्सयत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Present participle (Parasmaipada), Active

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• स्थितम्: standing, stationed
• स्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kālāntaka
• Yama
• bhujanga (serpent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming displays of power and the imagery of death can destabilize beings; the ethical challenge implied is to meet fear with steadiness and discernment rather than panic, especially in trials encountered in the forest life of the epic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a terrifying serpent standing before others, likened to death-deities (Kālāntaka and Yama), whose loud breathing and hissing make it seem as though it is threatening and rebuking all creatures.