Shloka 23

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

हंसेन्दुवर्णसदूशानायोजनसुदर्शनान्‌ । असम्बाधान्‌ समद्वारान्‌ युतानुच्चावचैर्गुणै:

Transliteration

haṃsenduvarṇasadṛśān āyojanasudarśanān | asambādhān samadvārān yutān uccāvacair guṇaiḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: كانت بيوت الضيافة بيضاء كالإوزّ والبدر، بارزة حتى تُرى من مسافة يوجانا. وكانت فسيحة لا ازدحام فيها ولا ضيق؛ ومداخلها متساوية منتظمة؛ وكل مسكنٍ مُعَدّ بمحاسن شتّى—من راحةٍ ومرافق تليق باستقبال الضيف بوقارٍ وكرامة.

Word by Word

• हंस-इन्दु-वर्ण-सदृशान्: resembling the color of swans and the moon (i.e., very white)
• हंस-इन्दु-वर्ण-सदृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस + इन्दु + वर्ण + सदृश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आयोजन-सुदर्शनान्: clearly visible from a yojana (distance)
• आयोजन-सुदर्शनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयोजन + सुदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• असम्बाधान्: uncongested, spacious
• असम्बाधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम्बाध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम-द्वारान्: having equal/uniform doors
• सम-द्वारान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + द्वार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• युतान्: endowed, furnished
• युतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उच्च-अवचैः: with high and low (i.e., various)
• उच्च-अवचैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च + अवच
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• गुणैः: qualities, excellences, amenities
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• guest-houses (atithibhavanāni)
• swans (haṃsa)
• moon (indu)
• yojana (distance measure)
• doors/doorways (dvāra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of hospitality and orderly governance: public spaces meant for guests should be clean, accessible, spacious, and well-provisioned, reflecting a ruler’s responsibility to provide comfort and dignity to visitors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing the impressive guest-houses—bright white, visible from afar, spacious, uniformly designed, and richly equipped—emphasizing the grandeur and careful arrangement of the royal setting.