Shloka 81

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

वर्षमाणा महत्‌ तोयं पूरयन्तो वसुंधराम्‌ । सुघोरमशिवं रौद्रं नाशयन्ति च पावकम्‌

Transliteration

varṣamāṇā mahat toyaṃ pūrayanto vasuṃdharām | sughoram aśivaṃ raudraṃ nāśayanti ca pāvakam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Déversant une masse d’eau immense et inondant la terre, ces nuées éteignent le feu d’une horreur extrême—de mauvais augure et farouche—mettant un terme à son brasier destructeur.»

Word by Word

• वर्षमाणाः: raining (ones)
• वर्षमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महत्: great, abundant
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूरयन्तः: filling
• पूरयन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु, णिजन्त of पूर्/पॄ)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वसुन्धराम्: the earth
• वसुन्धराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुघोरम्: very terrible
• सुघोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुघोर
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अशिवम्: inauspicious
• अशिवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशिव
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रौद्रम्: fierce
• रौद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नाशयन्ति: destroy, extinguish
• नाशयन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नाशय् (धातु, णिजन्त of नश्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• meghāḥ (clouds)
• vasuṃdharā (earth)
• pāvaka (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming, well-directed natural force can neutralize destructive, inauspicious power: the fierce fire is subdued when the rains flood the earth. Ethically, it evokes the idea that unchecked ‘raudra’ (violent) energy is not ultimate; it can be restrained by a greater balancing force aligned with restoration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes torrential rains: clouds pour immense water, inundate the earth, and thereby extinguish a terrifying, ominous fire. The scene emphasizes the dramatic reversal from blazing destruction to quenching and containment.