Shloka 36
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
Devanagari script
अथ काले व्यतिक्रान्ते महत्यतिभयंकरे
Transliteration
atha kāle vyatikrānte mahātyatibhayaṃkare
Translation
അത്യന്തം ഭയാനകവും അപൂർവമായ ഭീതിയുമാർന്ന ആ സമയം കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, കഥ തുടർന്ന് സംഭവിച്ചതിലേക്കു തിരിഞ്ഞു.
Word by Word
अथthen, now
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
कालेin/at the time
काले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
व्यतिक्रान्तेhaving passed/elapsed
व्यतिक्रान्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि+अति+क्रम्
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Locative, Singular
महतिin a great (state/occasion)
महति:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
अतिभयंकरेin (something) extremely terrifying
अतिभयंकरे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअति-भयङ्कर
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical realism: even the most terrifying crises are bounded by time. Recognizing that dreadful phases pass encourages steadiness (dhairya) and clear judgment rather than panic-driven action.
Vaiśampāyana marks a transition: a particularly dreadful period in the battle narrative has elapsed, and the story is about to describe the subsequent developments after that peak of fear.