Shloka 54

Kirmīra-rākṣasa-saṃgamaḥ (Encounter and Slaying of Kirmīra) | किर्मीरेण सह भीमसेनसमागमः

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मशंकरशक्राद्यैर्देववृन्दै: पुन: पुनः । क्रीडसे त्वं नरव्याप्र बाल: क्रीडनकैरिव,नरश्रेष्ठ! जैसे बालक खिलौनोंसे खेलता है, उसी प्रकार आप ब्रह्मा, शिव तथा इन्द्र आदि देवताओंसे बारंबार क्रीडा करते रहते हैं

Transliteration

brahmaśaṅkaraśakrādyair devavṛndaiḥ punaḥ punaḥ | krīḍase tvaṃ naravyāghra bālaḥ krīḍanakair iva ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—నరవ్యాఘ్రా! నీవు బ్రహ్మ, శంకర, శక్ర మొదలైన దేవగణములతో మళ్లీ మళ్లీ క్రీడించుచున్నావు—బాలుడు బొమ్మలతో ఆడినట్లు.

Word by Word

ब्रह्मशंकरशक्राद्यैःby Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Śakra (Indra) and others

देववृन्दैःby groups of gods

पुनःagain

पुनःagain (repeatedly)

क्रीडसेyou play / sport

त्वम्you

नरव्याघ्रO tiger among men

बालःa child

क्रीडनकैःwith toys / playthings

इवlike, as

नरश्रेष्ठO best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Brahmā

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

Śakra (Indra)

devavṛnda (hosts of gods)

krīḍanaka (toys)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys awe at a hero whose power is so great that even the gods become, metaphorically, objects of play—highlighting extraordinary capability tempered by a tone of effortless mastery rather than cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a foremost man (naravyāghra), describing him as repeatedly ‘sporting’ with Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, and other gods, using the simile of a child playing with toys to emphasize the disparity in power.