Shloka 4

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचु मदास्यव्यतिषक्तानामस्माकं लोकपूजित । च्यवनेन हता भूमि: कपैश्नैव दिवं प्रभो,देवता बोले--लोकपूजित प्रभो! जिस समय हम मदके मुखमें पड़ गये थे, उस समय च्यवनने हमारी भूमि हर ली थी और कप नामक दानवोंने स्वर्गलोेकपर अधिकार कर लिया

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ madāsyavyatiṣaktānām asmākaṁ lokapūjita | cyavanena hatā bhūmiḥ kapaiś caiva divaṁ prabho ||

Translation

Para dewa berkata: “Wahai Tuhan yang dipuja oleh segala alam! Ketika kami terjerat dalam mulut Mada (Kemabukan/Keangkuhan), Cyavana merampas bumi milik kami; dan para asura yang bernama Kapas pula merampas syurga, wahai Tuan.”

Word by Word

देवाःthe gods

ऊचुःsaid

मदास्यव्यतिषक्तानाम्of us who were entangled in the mouth of Mada

अस्माकम्of us / our

लोकपूजितO world-honoured one

च्यवनेनby Cyavana

हताstruck down / taken away

भूमिःthe earth (land)

कपैःby the Kapas (named Kap)

इवas if / like

दिवम्heaven

प्रभोO lord

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Devas

Mada

Cyavana

Kapa (daitya/demon)

Bhūmi (earth/domain)

Diva (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of mada (pride/intoxication): when even the gods fall into heedlessness, they lose their rightful standing. Dharma is protected by humility and self-restraint; arrogance invites downfall and empowers adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The gods recount to a revered lord that, having become ensnared by Mada, they were overcome by the sage Cyavana and lost their domain; simultaneously, the demon Kapa (and his forces) took control of heaven—showing a reversal of cosmic order caused by their lapse.