Shloka 17

Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma

Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins

Devanagari script

पश्यतामथ यक्षाणां कुण्डधारो महाद्युति: | निपत्य पतितो भूमौ देवानां भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

paśyatām atha yakṣāṇāṁ kuṇḍadhāro mahādyutiḥ | nipatya patito bhūmau devānāṁ bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

ହେ ଭରତଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ଯକ୍ଷମାନଙ୍କ ଦୃଷ୍ଟି ସାମ୍ନାରେ ମହାଦ୍ୟୁତି କୁଣ୍ଡଧାର ହଠାତ୍ ପତିତ ହୋଇ ଭୂମିରେ ଢଳି ପଡ଼ିଲେ—ଏମିତି ଘଟଣାକୁ ଦେବମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ କଲେ।

Word by Word

पश्यताम्while (they) were seeing / in the presence of the onlookers

अथthen

यक्षाणाम्of the Yakshas

कुण्डधारःKundadhara (proper name)

महाद्युतिःof great splendor

निपत्यhaving fallen down

पतितःfallen

भूमौon the ground

देवानाम्of the gods

भरतर्षभO bull of the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yakṣas

Kuṇḍadhāra

Devas

Bharata lineage (addressed listener)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the suddenness and inevitability of downfall even for the brilliant and powerful, suggesting that dharma-oriented reflection should account for impermanence and the higher order that governs outcomes beyond mere strength or status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates an incident witnessed by the Yakṣas: the splendid figure named Kuṇḍadhāra abruptly falls and lies on the ground, an event framed as significant enough to be associated with the gods and addressed to the Bharata listener.