Shloka 19

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

हन्याद्धि भगवान्‌ क्रुद्धस्त्रलोक्यमपि केवलम्‌ | किं पुनर्मा तपोहीनं बाहुवीर्यपरायणम्‌

Transliteration

hanyāddhi bhagavān kruddhas trailokyam api kevalam | kiṁ punar mā tapohīnaṁ bāhuvīryaparāyaṇam ||

Translation

Vì nếu Đấng Thế Tôn khi nổi giận còn có thể hủy diệt cả ba cõi ngay tức khắc, thì huống chi Ngài lại không dễ dàng đánh gục ta—kẻ không có sức khổ hạnh, chỉ biết nương vào sức mạnh đôi tay?

Word by Word

• हन्यात्: might slay / could kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, optative, 3, singular, parasmaipada

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्रुद्धः: angered
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अपि: even / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• केवलम्: entirely / wholly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)

• किम्: what then? / how much more?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)

• पुनः: again / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: common, accusative, singular

• तपोहीनम्: devoid of austerity
• तपोहीनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• बाहुवीर्यपरायणम्: relying on the strength of (my) arms
• बाहुवीर्यपरायणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहुवीर्यपरायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

नहुष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नहुष (Nahusha)
• भगवान् (the Blessed Lord)
• त्रैलोक्य (the three worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts divine, dharma-backed power with mere bodily strength: without tapas (spiritual discipline/merit) and humility, reliance on arm-strength is fragile, and one should not presume safety before a higher moral-cosmic authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nahusha speaks in a self-abasing, cautionary tone, acknowledging that if the Lord’s wrath can annihilate even the three worlds, then Nahusha—lacking ascetic power and depending only on physical prowess—would be even more vulnerable.