Shloka 10

Devanagari script

दण्डपाणिरचिन्त्यात्मा सर्वभूतविनाशकृत्‌ । वैवस्वतो धर्मराजो विमानेनावभासयन्‌,उनके हाथमें दण्ड शोभा पा रहा था। सम्पूर्ण भूतोंका विनाश करनेवाले अचिन्त्यात्मा सूर्यपुत्र धर्मराज अपने (तेजस्वी) विमानसे तीनों लोकों, गुह्यकों, गन्धर्वों तथा नागोंको प्रकाशित कर रहे थे। प्रलयकाल उपस्थित होनेपर दिखायी देनेवाले द्वितीय सूर्यकी भाँति उनकी अद्भुत शोभा हो रही थी

Transliteration

daṇḍapāṇir acintyātmā sarvabhūtavināśakṛt | vaivasvato dharmarājo vimānenāvabhāsayan ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：他手执刑杖，体性不可思议，亦为万有毁灭之因；毗婆斯梵之子——阎摩、达摩之王——自天车上放射光辉，照耀四方。他那奇异的灿然，宛如劫末现出的第二轮太阳，昭示道德秩序之必然，以及死亡之裁决无可逃避。

Word by Word

दण्डपाणिःone whose hand holds a staff

अचिन्त्यात्माof inconceivable nature

सर्वभूतविनाशकृत्causing the destruction of all beings

वैवस्वतःVaivasvata (son of Vivasvat; Yama)

धर्मराजःking of dharma (Yama)

विमानेनby/with a celestial chariot (vimāna)

अवभासयन्illuminating, making shine

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Vaivasvata (Yama/Dharmarāja)

daṇḍa (staff of punishment/justice)

vimāna (celestial chariot)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents Yama/Dharmarāja as the embodiment of moral law and inevitable consequence: his radiance and the staff of punishment symbolize that dharma ultimately governs all beings, and death is not random but aligned with cosmic order and accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes the awe-inspiring appearance of Vaivasvata (Yama), holding his staff and riding a celestial vimāna, shining like a second sun at dissolution—an entrance meant to convey overwhelming authority and the inescapable presence of judgment.