Shloka 88

Devanagari script

नृत्यद्धिरपरैश्चैव मांसभक्षैर्दुरासदै: । धावमानै: समन्ताच्च तर्जमानै: परस्परम्‌,उस समय उनके अपने पार्षद भी महायशस्वी महादेवजीकी पूजा कर रहे थे। शिवके वे दुर्धर्ष पार्षद नृत्य करते और परस्पर एक-दूसरेको डाँटते हुए चारों ओर दौड़ लगाते थे। अन्य किलने ही पार्षद (भूत-प्रेतादि) मांसभक्षी थे

Transliteration

nṛtyaddhir aparaiś caiva māṁsabhakṣair durāsadaiḥ | dhāvamānaiḥ samantāc ca tarjyamānaiḥ parasparam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Il y avait aussi d’autres serviteurs—difficiles d’accès, et dont certains mangeaient de la chair—qui dansaient avec fureur. Courant de tous côtés, ils se criaient des menaces et des invectives.»

Word by Word

नृत्यद्भिःby (those) dancing

अपरैःby others

चand

एवindeed/just

मांसभक्षैःby meat-eaters

दुरासदैःby the hard-to-approach (formidable ones)

धावमानैःby (those) running

समन्तात्on all sides/from all around

चand

तर्जमानैःby (those) threatening/scolding

परस्परम्mutually/one another

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Śiva (Mahādeva)

Śiva’s attendants (pārṣadas; bhūta-preta-gaṇa implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that devotion and divine presence may appear in fierce, unconventional forms. It cautions against judging spiritual power solely by outward social refinement, and underscores the overwhelming, untamable majesty associated with Śiva’s sphere.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes the formidable attendants of Śiva: some dance, some run about in all directions, and they shout at one another. The scene conveys a tumultuous, fearsome celebration surrounding the worship of Mahādeva.