Shloka 66

कलियुग-प्रवृत्तिः, सप्तर्षि-गणना, धरणीगीताः, च वंश-समाप्तिः

Kali-yuga onset, Saptarṣi reckoning, Dharaṇī-gītā, and closure of the dynastic account

Devanagari script

दशाननावीक्षितराघवाणाम् ऐश्वर्यम् उद्भासितदिङ्मुखानाम् भस्मापि जातं न कथं क्षणेन भ्रूभङ्गपातेन धिग् अन्तकस्य

Transliteration

daśānanāvīkṣitarāghavāṇām aiśvaryam udbhāsitadiṅmukhānām bhasmāpi jātaṃ na kathaṃ kṣaṇena bhrūbhaṅgapātena dhig antakasya

Translation

How could the majesty of the Rāghavas—before which even Daśānana (Rāvaṇa) stood awed, and which made the very faces of the quarters blaze with its radiance—be reduced to ashes in a single instant, merely by the fall of Death’s frown? Fie upon that Antaka (Death)!

Word by Word

• दशानन: of Daśānana (Rāvaṇa)
• दशानन: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (दश + आनन)

• आवीक्षित: seen/observed (by)
• आवीक्षित: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√ईक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समन्वय; षष्ठी बहुवचन-सम्बद्ध (राघवाणाम्)

• राघवाणाम्: of the Rāghavas (Rāma and his line)
• राघवाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty, power
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• उद्भासित: made to shine, manifested
• उद्भासित: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्√भास् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ऐश्वर्यम् इति विशेषण

• दिङ्मुखानाम्: of the quarters/directions (their faces)
• दिङ्मुखानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दिशां मुखानि)

• भस्म: ashes
• भस्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• जातम्: became, turned into
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicative action/state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अभवत्/बभूव इत्यर्थे)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• क्षणेन: in a moment, by a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• भ्रूभङ्गपातेन: by the fall/motion of (his) eyebrow-frown
• भ्रूभङ्गपातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (भ्रूणां भङ्गः—तस्य पातः)

• धिग्: fie upon!
• धिग्: Sambandha (Exclamation/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिग् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• अन्तकस्य: of Antaka (Death)
• अन्तकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the most radiant royal aiśvarya is instantly undone by Death, so attachment to power and permanence is delusion.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate mortality to loosen pride and possessiveness; prioritize dharma and devotion over status.

Vishishtadvaita: Implied dependence (śeṣatva) of all worldly glory on the Lord’s order (niyati), contrasting transient jīva-possessions with the enduring Supreme.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Key Kings: Rāghava (Rāma lineage), Daśānana (Rāvaṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Daśānana (Rāvaṇa)
• Rāghavas (Rāma’s dynasty)
• Antaka (Death/Yama as the principle of mortality)

FAQs

What is the significance of Antaka (Death) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Antaka symbolizes the irresistible law of mortality under Time, showing that even the greatest dynastic splendor can be ended in a moment.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the fragility of royal sovereignty here?

By contrasting the Rāghavas’ world-illuminating majesty with its sudden reduction to ashes, he frames kingship as transient and subordinate to the cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework treats Time and cosmic law as operating by Vishnu’s supreme governance, reinforcing that worldly power is never ultimate.