Shloka 28

सत्य–अनृत, प्रकाश–तमस्, स्वर्ग–नरक विवेचनम्

Truth and Untruth as Light and Darkness; Svarga and Naraka as Ethical Consequences

Devanagari script

रसातलान्ते सलिलं जलान्ते पन्नगाधिपा: । तदन्ते पुनराकाशमाकाशान्ते पुनर्जलम्‌,रसातलके अन्तमें जल है। जलके अन्तमें नागराज शेष हैं। उनके अन्तमें पुन: आकाश और आकाशके ही अन्तभागमें पुन: जल है

Transliteration

rasātalānte salilaṁ jalānte pannagādhipāḥ | tadante punar ākāśam ākāśānte punar jalam |

Translation

バラドヴァージャは言った。「ラサータラ（Rasātala）の果てには水がある。その水の果てには蛇族の王たちがいる。さらにその彼方には再び虚空があり、虚空の極みにもまた水がある。」

Word by Word

रसातल-अन्तेat the end of Rasatala (netherworld)

सलिलम्water

जल-अन्तेat the end of the water

पन्नग-अधिपाःlords of serpents (serpent-kings)

तत्-अन्तेat the end of that

पुनःagain; further

आकाशम्space; sky

आकाश-अन्तेat the end of space

पुनःagain

जलम्water

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bharadvāja

Rasātala

Pannagādhipāḥ (serpent-lords)

Ākāśa (space/ether)

Jala/Salila (water)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the vast, layered structure of the cosmos and, by implication, the limits of human knowledge—encouraging intellectual humility and caution in making absolute claims about ultimate foundations.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bharadvāja describes successive cosmic layers—Rasātala, water, serpent-lords, space, and water again—within a broader Śānti Parva discussion that uses cosmological imagery to support reflective, peace-oriented inquiry.