Shloka 15
Śānti-parva Adhyāya 3: Karṇa’s training under Rāma Jāmadagnya and the Bhārgava restriction on the Brahmāstra
ततोअन्तरिक्षे ददृशे विश्वरूप: करालवान् | राक्षसो लोहितग्रीव: कृष्णाड़्रो मेघवाहन:
tato ’ntarikṣe dadṛśe viśvarūpaḥ karālavān | rākṣaso lohitagrīvaḥ kṛṣṇāṅgo meghavāhanaḥ ||
तत्पश्चात् आकाश के मध्य में एक विकराल राक्षस दिखाई दिया, जो नाना रूप धारण करने में समर्थ था। उसकी ग्रीवा रक्त-लाल थी और शरीर श्याम; वह मेघों पर आरूढ़ था।
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a rākṣasa’s terrifying, shape-shifting appearance as an ominous sign: when adharma rises, it manifests as fear, confusion, and threatening portents. Ethically, it prepares the listener to discern and resist forces that disrupt order and right conduct.
Nārada reports that a dreadful, many-formed rākṣasa appears in the sky, red-necked and dark-bodied, riding on clouds. The description functions as a dramatic turning point, introducing a menacing presence and heightening the sense of impending danger.