Shloka 18

Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 77 — Saindhava resistance, Arjuna’s restraint, and Duḥśalā’s supplication

Devanagari script

शशं चाशु विनिर्भिद्य मण्डलं शशिनो5पतत्‌ । विपरीता दिशश्वापि सर्वा धूमाकुलास्तथा

Transliteration

śaśaṃ cāśu vinirbhidya maṇḍalaṃ śaśino ’patat | viparītā diśaś cāpi sarvā dhūmākulās tathā ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ଉଲ୍କାମାନେ ଶୀଘ୍ରେ ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରର ଶଶ-ଚିହ୍ନକୁ ଭେଦି ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରମଣ୍ଡଳର ଚାରିପାଖେ ପଡ଼ିଲେ। ସମସ୍ତ ଦିଗ ଧୂଆଁରେ ଆବୃତ ହୋଇ ଉଲ୍ଟା ପରି ଦିଶିଲା—ଏହା ଜଗତରେ ଅନିଷ୍ଟ ଓ ଧର୍ମବ୍ୟତିକ୍ରମର ଘୋର ନିମିତ୍ତ ଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• शशम्: the hare (mark)
• शशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• विनिर्भिद्य: having pierced/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-निर्-भिद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• मण्डलम्: the disk/orb
• मण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शशिनः: of the moon
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपतत्: fell
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विपरीताः: reversed/contrary
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• दिशः: directions/quarters
• दिशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सर्वाः: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• धूमाकुलाः: filled with smoke
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूमाकुल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: thus/so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Moon (Śaśin/Candra)
• lunar disc (maṇḍala)
• hare-mark on the Moon (śaśa-cihna)
• directions/quarters (diś)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When the cosmos appears disordered—moon-marks struck, directions inverted, smoke everywhere—the epic frames it as a moral warning: collective adharma and looming danger manifest as unsettling portents, urging rulers and society toward vigilance and restoration of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes terrifying celestial omens: fiery objects (implied meteors/ulkaa) seem to strike the Moon’s hare-mark and fall around it, while all quarters become smoke-filled and appear reversed—an atmosphere of impending crisis.