Shloka 6

Vālakhilya-Tapas and the Birth of Garuḍa (वालखिल्यतपः-गरुडोत्पत्तिः)

Devanagari script

उत्पतद्धिरिवाकाशं वृक्षर्मलयजैरपि । शोभितं पुष्पवर्षाणि मुज्चद्धिर्मारुतोद्धतैः,वहाँ ऊँचे-ऊँचे मलयज वृक्ष ऐसे प्रतीत होते थे, मानो आकाशमें उड़े जा रहे हों। वे वायुके वेगसे विकम्पित हो फूलोंकी वर्षा करते हुए उस प्रदेशकी शोभा बढ़ा रहे थे

Transliteration

utpataddhir ivākāśaṁ vṛkṣair malayajair api | śobhitaṁ puṣpavarṣāṇi muñcaddhir mārutoddhataiḥ ||

Translation

Selbst die Malaya-Sandelbäume schienen, als flögen sie in den Himmel empor. Vom Wind mit Macht geschüttelt, ließen sie einen Blütenregen niedergehen und mehrten so die Schönheit jener Gegend.

Word by Word

उत्पतद्भिःby (those) flying up / soaring

इवas if, like

आकाशम्the sky

वृक्षैःby trees

मलयजैःMalaya-born (sandalwood) / from Malaya

अपिalso, even

शोभितम्adorned, beautified

पुष्पवर्षाणिshowers of flowers

मुञ्चद्भिःby (those) releasing / letting fall

मारुतोद्धतैःagitated by the wind

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

प

पितामह (Pitāmaha, the Grandsire—Bhīṣma as narrator/speaker)

आ

आकाश (sky)

म

मलयज-वृक्ष (Malaya sandalwood trees)

म

मारुत (wind)

प

पुष्प (flowers)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily offers evocative scene-setting: nature’s beauty and movement are portrayed as uplifting and auspicious, preparing the listener for the narrative by emphasizing harmony and grandeur rather than direct moral instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pitāmaha describes a region where tall Malaya sandalwood trees, shaken by strong winds, appear to rise toward the sky and scatter blossoms like a rain of flowers, beautifying the landscape.