Shloka 17

Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly

Devanagari script

विन्ध्ये चैव नगश्रेष्ठे तव स्थान हि शाश्व॒तम्‌ | कालि कालि महाकालि खड्गखट्वाड्रधारिणि,'पर्वतोंमें श्रेष्ठ विन्ध्याचलपर तुम्हारा सनातन निवासस्थान है। काली! काली!! महाकाली! !! तुम खड़्ग और खट्वांग धारण करनेवाली हो

Transliteration

vindhye caiva nagaśreṣṭhe tava sthāna hi śāśvatam | kāli kāli mahākāli khaḍga-khaṭvāṅga-dhāriṇi |

Translation

پہاڑوں میں سب سے برتر وِندھْی پر تیرا نِواس بے شک ابدی ہے۔ اے کالی، اے کالی، اے مہاکالی—تلوار اور کھٹوانگ دھارنے والی!

Word by Word

विन्ध्येin (the) Vindhya (mountain)

चand

एवindeed/just

नगश्रेष्ठेin the best of mountains

तवyour

स्थानम्abode/place

हिindeed/for

शाश्वतम्eternal

कालिO Kali

महाकालिO Mahakali

खड्गखट्वाङ्गधारिणिO bearer of sword and khatvanga

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vindhya (Vindhyācala)

Kālī

Mahākālī

khaḍga (sword)

khaṭvāṅga

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes reverent remembrance of divine power: the goddess is praised as eternally established in a sacred place and as a protector whose fierce attributes (weapons) signify the removal of threats and obstacles. Ethically, it frames strength as protective and dharma-supporting rather than merely destructive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates an invocation addressed to Kālī/Mahākālī, identifying her eternal abode on the Vindhya mountains and describing her as weapon-bearing. It reads as part of a stuti (praise) that calls upon the goddess’s presence and protection.