Shloka 17

मयेन सभानिर्माणम्

Maya’s Construction of the Assembly Hall

Devanagari script

सुवर्णमालिनो यूपाश्रैत्याश्वाप्पतिभास्वरा: । ददौ यत्र सहस्राणि प्रयुतानि च केशव:,उस यज्ञमें स्वर्णणालाओंसे मण्डित खंभे और अत्यन्त चमकीली वेदियाँ बनी थीं। भगवान्‌ केशवने उस यज्ञमें सहस्रों-लाखों वस्तुएँ दानमें दी थीं

Transliteration

suvarṇamālino yūpān āśrityāśvāpati-bhāsvarāḥ | dadau yatra sahasrāṇi prayutāni ca keśavaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Bei jenem Opfer waren die Opferpfähle (yūpa) mit goldenen Girlanden geschmückt, und die Altäre leuchteten in herrlichem Glanz. Dort spendete Keśava Gaben in Wohltätigkeit zu Tausenden und zu Zehntausenden.“

Word by Word

सुवर्णमालिनःadorned with golden garlands/chains

यूपान्sacrificial posts

आश्रित्यhaving resorted to / based upon

अश्वापतिभास्वराःshining like the lord of horses (i.e., very radiant)

ददौgave

यत्रwhere

सहस्राणिthousands

प्रयुतानिten-thousands (myriads)

चand

केशवःKeshava (Krishna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

yūpa (sacrificial posts)

vedī (altar)

Character Dynamics

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 highlights dāna as a key dharmic virtue: wealth and splendor in a sacrifice are not merely for display but are fulfilled through generous giving, especially when performed in a sacred context.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a grand sacrifice marked by gold-adorned sacrificial posts and radiant altars, where Keśava (Kṛṣṇa) gives away gifts in immense quantities—thousands and tens of thousands.