Shloka 16

Dharma-vyādha on Parental Worship

Pitṛ-mātṛ-śuśrūṣā as Paramadaivata

Devanagari script

कस्यचित्‌ त्वथ कालस्य दानवीौ वीर्यवत्तमौ

Transliteration

kasyacit tv atha kālasya dānavī vīryavattamau

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Kemudian, setelah beberapa waktu berlalu, muncullah dua makhluk keturunan Daitya, keduanya amat perkasa dalam keberanian.”

Word by Word

• कस्यचित्: of some (someone/something)
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दानवौ: two Dānavas (demons)
• दानवौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वीर्यवत्तमौ: most powerful/most valorous (two)
• वीर्यवत्तमौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how time brings new forces onto the stage—powerful beings arise in due course—implying that strength and circumstances are transient and unfold according to kāla (time), a recurring ethical reminder in the Mahābhārata to remain vigilant and grounded in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya transitions the story forward: after a lapse of time, he introduces two exceptionally powerful Dānava figures, setting up the next events involving their actions and the consequences of their might.