Shloka 1.55.8

कामधेनुसैन्यप्रादुर्भावः — Kamadhenu’s Forces, Visvamitra’s Austerities, and Vasishta’s Wrath

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा विनाशितान् पुत्रान् बलं च सुमहायशा:।सव्रीडश्चिन्तयाऽविष्टो विश्वामित्रोऽभवत्तदा।।1.55.8।।

Transliteration

samudra iva nirvego bhagnadaṃṣṭra ivoragaḥ |

uparakta ivādityaḥ sadyo niṣprabhatāṃ gataḥ || 1.55.9 ||

Translation

He suddenly became bereft of radiance—like an ocean stilled of waves, like a serpent whose fangs are broken, and like the sun when eclipsed.

Context

Seeing his sons and army destroyed the illustrious Viswamitra was filled with shame and anxiety.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra (implied subject)
• Ocean
• Serpent
• Sun (Āditya)
• Eclipse (Rāhu implied in traditional gloss)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Pride and violence drain inner brilliance. Dharma is linked to inner steadiness and right intention; when those collapse, one’s ‘tejas’ (moral-spiritual radiance) is depicted as fading.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration poetically describes Viśvāmitra’s immediate psychological collapse after defeat—his power and confidence appear neutralized.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes the need for humility: the imagery shows how quickly outward might becomes ineffective when inner resolve is broken.