Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तेषामधिपतिस्त्वासीदू भीमो भीमपराक्रम: । देवतानां भयकर: स हत: शूलपाणिना,उन असुरोंका स्वामी भयंकर आकारवाला तथा भीषण पराक्रमी था। देवताओंको वह सदा भयभीत किये रहता था; किंतु भगवान्‌ शूलपाणिने उसे भी मार डाला

Transliteration

teṣām adhipatis tv āsīd ū bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ | devatānāṁ bhayakaraḥ sa hataḥ śūlapāṇinā ||

Translation

அவர்களின் தலைவன் அச்சமூட்டும் உருவமும் கொடுமையான வீரமும் உடையவன்; தேவர்களுக்கு அவன் எப்போதும் பயத்தின் காரணமாக இருந்தான். ஆனால் சூலபாணி பகவான் அவனையும் வதைத்தார்.

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

अधिपतिःlord, chief

तुbut/indeed

आसीत्was

उindeed (emphatic particle)

भीमःterrible, formidable

भीमपराक्रमःof terrible prowess

देवतानाम्of the gods

भयकरःfear-causing

सःhe

हतःslain

शूलपाणिनाby Śūlapāṇi (the trident-bearer, Śiva)

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Asuras

Devatās (gods)

Śūlapāṇi (Śiva)

Asura overlord (unnamed in this verse)

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?

Power that thrives on frightening and oppressing others is not ultimately sovereign; dharma is upheld by a higher order, here symbolized by Śūlapāṇi (Śiva) who removes the fear-causing tyrant and restores balance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara describes an asura leader—terrible in form and prowess—who kept the gods in fear. Despite his might, he is killed by Śūlapāṇi (Śiva), marking the defeat of a threat to the devas.