Shloka 23

Vaiśravaṇa-sabhā-varṇanam

Description of Kubera’s Assembly Hall

Devanagari script

वामनैर्विकटै: कुब्जै: क्षतजाक्षैर्महारवै: । मेदोमांसाशनैरुग्रैरुग्रधन्चा महाबल:

Transliteration

vāmanair vikaṭaiḥ kubjaiḥ kṣatajākṣair mahāravaiḥ | medomāṃsāśanair ugrair ugradhanvā mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: Er war umgeben von Scharen wilder Wesen—zwergenhaft, grotesk, bucklig, blutäugig und von gewaltigem Getöse—schrecklich anzusehen und von Fett und Fleisch lebend. Inmitten solcher furchterregenden Gefolgschaft stand der Mächtige, einen gewaltigen Bogen in der Hand, ein Bild überwältigender Kraft.

Word by Word

• वामनैः: by/with dwarfish (ones)
• वामनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विकटैः: by/with grotesque/terrible (ones)
• विकटैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कुब्जैः: by/with hunchbacked (ones)
• कुब्जैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुब्ज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्षतजाक्षैः: with blood-eyed (ones)
• क्षतजाक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षतज-अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महारवैः: with great-roaring/noisy (ones)
• महारवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मेदोमांसाशनैः: with fat-and-flesh-eating (ones)
• मेदोमांसाशनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेदस्-मांस-आशन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उग्रैः: with fierce (ones)
• उग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उग्रधन्वा: the fierce-bowman (bearing a terrible bow)
• उग्रधन्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र-धन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• ugra-dhanvā mahābalaḥ (the mighty bow-bearing figure, contextually Śiva/Rudra in the sabhā narrative)
• bhūta-gaṇa (hosts of beings: dwarfs, grotesques, hunchbacks, blood-eyed, loud-roaring attendants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the contrast between outwardly terrifying forces and rightful authority: even when power appears dreadful through its attendants, true order in a royal assembly depends on legitimate sovereignty and disciplined control rather than mere appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a mighty, bow-bearing figure accompanied by frightening hosts—dwarfish, grotesque, hunchbacked, blood-eyed, loud-roaring, and flesh-eating beings—evoking the awe-inspiring entry/presence of a formidable divine power within the assembly context.