Shloka 76
The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
सूर्येऽस्तं समनुप्राप्ते समायाते निशामुखे । अभ्यगाद्राक्षसो घोरो गर्जमानो यथा घनः ॥ ७६ ॥
sūrye'staṃ samanuprāpte samāyāte niśāmukhe | abhyagādrākṣaso ghoro garjamāno yathā ghanaḥ || 76 ||
Quand le soleil fut couché et que l’entrée de la nuit survint, un rākṣasa effroyable s’avança, rugissant tel un nuage de tonnerre.
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; dialogue context not explicit in this single verse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
It marks the liminal time of sunset-to-night as a spiritually sensitive transition, where fear and hostile forces are depicted as becoming active—prompting vigilance and recourse to dharmic protection.
Though the verse itself is narrative, the Purāṇic pattern is that fear at nightfall is met through remembrance of the divine (especially Hari/Vishnu), turning danger into an occasion for steadfast devotion and reliance on sacred protection.
It implicitly reflects Jyotiṣa-style time-awareness: the transition at sunset (night’s beginning) is treated as a significant temporal marker for conduct, caution, and protective observances.