Shloka 82

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

ततो द्वादशवर्षाणि पयोदास्त उपप्लवे । धाराभि: पूरयन्तो वै चोद्यमाना महात्मना,तदनन्तर प्रलयकालके वे पयोधर महात्मा ब्रह्माजीकी प्रेरणा पाकर पृथ्वीको परिपूर्ण करनेके लिये बारह वर्षोतक धारावाहिक वृष्टि करते हैं

Transliteration

tato dvādaśavarṣāṇi payodāsta upaplave | dhārābhiḥ pūrayanto vai codyamānā mahātmanā ||

Translation

Then, at the time of the great inundation, the rain-bearing clouds, urged on by the Great One, poured forth continuous streams for twelve years, filling the earth on every side.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

द्वादश-वर्षाणिtwelve years (as duration)

पयोदाःclouds

तthey/that (referring to the clouds)

उपप्लवेin the inundation/calamity (time of deluge)

धाराभिःwith streams (of rain)

पूरयन्तःfilling, making full

वैindeed, surely

चोद्यमानाःbeing urged/impelled

महात्मनाby the great-souled one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

payodāḥ (clouds)

upaplava (deluge/inundation)

mahātman (the Great Being; higher divine agency)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights impermanence and cosmic order: even immense natural forces like world-flooding rains operate under a higher directive, reminding listeners that creation and dissolution follow a larger law beyond human control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a deluge scenario in which rain-clouds, driven by a supreme agency, pour torrents for twelve years, inundating and filling the world—an image associated with pralaya-like devastation.