Shloka 25

Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मदण्डं महाघोरं कालाग्निसमतेजसम्‌ । नाशयिष्यामि मात्र त्वं भयं कार्षी: कथंचन,कालाग्निके समान दाहक और अत्यन्त भयंकर शापका यहाँ मैं अवश्य नाश कर डालूँगा। अत: आप उससे किसी तरह भय न करें

Transliteration

brāhmadaṇḍaṃ mahāghoraṃ kālāgnisamatejasam | nāśayiṣyāmi mātra tvaṃ bhayaṃ kārṣīḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Āstīka nói: “Lời nguyền trừng phạt của Bà-la-môn ấy—ghê gớm vô cùng, rực cháy với uy lực như lửa của Thời gian—ta nhất định sẽ hóa giải. Vậy nên, chớ sợ hãi nó dù bằng cách nào.”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मदण्डम्: the Brahma-rod (i.e., Brahma’s curse/punitive power)
• ब्रह्मदण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाघोरम्: very terrible
• महाघोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाघोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालाग्नि-सम-तेजसम्: having brilliance equal to the fire of Time (cosmic fire)
• कालाग्नि-सम-तेजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालाग्निसमतेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नाशयिष्यामि: I will destroy
• नाशयिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नाशय् (णिच्) / नश्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा
• Form: prohibitive particle (with imperative/benedictive)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र
• Form: adverb of place

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कार्षीः: you should do/make (i.e., entertain)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ) used with prohibitive मा (prohibitive perfect), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कथंचन: in any way; at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन
• Form: adverb

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Āstīka
• brāhmadaṇḍa (Brahminical curse/punitive power)
• kālāgni (the fire of Time)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Spiritual authority and righteous resolve can counter even terrifying destructive forces; the verse emphasizes reassurance, protection, and the ethical duty to remove fear when one has the capacity to avert harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Āstīka promises to nullify a dreadful Brahminical curse—described as blazing like the fire of Time—and consoles the addressed ‘mother’ figure, urging her not to fear.