Shloka 2

प्रलय-प्रक्रिया (Pralaya Process) — Guṇa-Withdrawal and Pratisaṃcara

Devanagari script

तां दृष्टवा प्रभया दीप्तां भगवान्‌ पाकशासन: । विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयनो बलिं पप्रच्छ वासव:

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā prabhayā dīptāṃ bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ | vismayotphullanayano baliṃ papraccha vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩曰：“见室利（拉克希米）以自身光辉炽然照耀，惩罚帕迦者因陀罗惊异非常；他双目因震骇而大张，婆娑婆（因陀罗）遂向巴利发问。”

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (woman/fortune)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• प्रभया: by/with radiance
• प्रभया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• दीप्ताम्: shining, blazing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भगवान्: the blessed lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाकशासनः: Indra (Punisher of Pāka)
• पाकशासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाकशासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-नयनः: whose eyes were opened wide in wonder
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलिम्: Bali
• बलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra
• Pāka (as in Pākaśāsana)
• Vāsava
• Bali
• Śrī/Lakṣmī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse sets up a reflection on the nature of Śrī (fortune, sovereignty, prosperity): her appearance and movement provoke inquiry even in Indra, implying that power and prosperity are not fixed possessions but contingent, ethically charged forces that shift according to dharma and conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra sees a brilliantly radiant Śrī/Lakṣmī and is astonished; with eyes widened in wonder, he turns to Bali and asks him about her—introducing a dialogue in which Bali becomes the one questioned, and the meaning of Śrī’s presence is to be explained.