Mahabharata 1.26.6 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 26, Shloka 6

आदि पर्व (अध्याय 26) — गरुडस्य वालखिल्य-रक्षणम्, कश्यपोपदेशः, देवोत्पात-प्रसङ्गः

Devanagari script

नष्टचन्द्राककिरणमम्बरं समपद्यत | नागानामुत्तमो हर्षस्तथा वर्षति वासवे

Transliteration

naṣṭacandrārkakiraṇam ambaram samapadyata | nāgānām uttamo harṣas tathā varṣati vāsave ||

Translation

ビーシュマは語った。「空は月と太陽の光が見失われるほどとなった。そしてヴァーサヴァ（インドラ）がそのように雨を注ぐと、ナーガたちはこの上ない歓喜に満たされた。」

Word by Word

• नष्ट: vanished, destroyed
• नष्ट: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु) → नष्ट (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चन्द्र: of the moon
• चन्द्र: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अर्क: of the sun
• अर्क: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• किरणम्: rays, light-beams
• किरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अम्बरम्: sky
• अम्बरम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समपद्यत: became, came to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन

• नागानाम्: of the Nāgas (serpents)
• नागानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• उत्तमः: greatest, excellent
• उत्तमः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हर्षः: joy, delight
• हर्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वर्षति: rains
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन

• वासवे: when/while Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Nāgas
• Moon (Candra)
• Sun (Arka)
• Sky (Ambara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming natural forces—often framed as divine action—can reverse circumstances and emotions: what is fearsome for some becomes a cause of relief and joy for others. It invites reflection on perspective and the moral complexity of divine or cosmic events in epic narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

A torrential rain sent by Indra darkens the sky so completely that the moon and sun’s rays are no longer visible. This downpour brings great delight to the Nāgas, who benefit from the rain and the resulting concealment and cooling.