Shloka 35

Vaiśravaṇa-sabhā-varṇanam

Description of Kubera’s Assembly Hall

Devanagari script

काष्ठ: कुटीमुखो दन्‍्ती विजयश्व तपो5धिक: । श्वेतश्न वृषभस्तत्र नर्दन्नास्ते महाबल:

Transliteration

kāṣṭhaḥ kuṭīmukho dantī vijayaśvaḥ tapo'dhikaḥ | śvetaś ca vṛṣabhas tatra nardann āste mahābalaḥ | bhagavān nandīśvaraḥ mahākālaḥ tathā śaṅkukarṇa ādayaḥ | bhagavataḥ śivasya sarve divya-pārṣadāḥ tatra tiṣṭhanti ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: Dort sind die göttlichen Gefährten des Herrn Śiva zugegen — Kāṣṭha, Kuṭīmukha, Dantī, Vijayaśva (berühmt für seine Askese) und der mächtige, brüllende weiße Stier. Auch Nandīśvara, Mahākāla, Śaṅkukarṇa und andere sind dort.

Word by Word

• काष्ठः: Kāṣṭha (a divine attendant)
• काष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुटीमुखः: Kuṭīmukha (hut-faced; a name)
• कुटीमुखः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटीमुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दन्ती: Dantī (the tusked one; a name)
• दन्ती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विजयः: Vijaya (a name)
• विजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तपः-अधिकः: pre-eminent in austerity
• तपः-अधिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपःअधिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्वेतः: white
• श्वेतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृषभः: bull
• वृषभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• नर्दन्: roaring
• नर्दन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नर्द्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आस्ते: is/stands/sits (is present)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara (Lord Nandi)
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शंकुकर्णः: Śaṅkukarṇa (a name)
• शंकुकर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकुकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आदि: and others, etc.
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śiva
• Kāṣṭha
• Kuṭīmukha
• Dantī
• Vijayaśva
• Śveta Vṛṣabha (white bull/Nandin)
• Nandīśvara
• Mahākāla
• Śaṅkukarṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that divine authority is expressed through an ordered, disciplined retinue—strength (mahābala), austerity (tapas), and devoted service (pārṣada-bhāva) together reflect the ethical ideal of power guided by restraint and reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing the presence of Lord Śiva’s attendants and emblematic figures (including the white bull), listing prominent members of Śiva’s entourage who stand/sit there, emphasizing Śiva’s grandeur and the formidable nature of his divine assembly.