Shloka 51
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
सकृप्प्रभिन्नैश्व गजैर्विं भूषित॑ प्रहृषष्नानाविधपक्षिसेवितम् । सुपुष्पितैरम्बुधरप्रकाशै- महीरुहाणां च वनैर्विचित्रै:
sakṛt-prabhinnaiś ca gajair vibhūṣitaṃ prahṛṣṭa-nānā-vidha-pakṣi-sevitam | su-puṣpitair ambudhara-prakāśair mahī-ruhāṇāṃ ca vanair vicitram ||
Vāsudeva said: The hermitage-grove was adorned by elephants whose temples had only once burst forth with the first flow of rut, and it was frequented by many kinds of birds, delighted and calling out in joy. Its varied woodland, filled with great trees, stood richly in bloom—shining like rain-clouds—so that the entire āśrama appeared exceptionally beautiful and serene.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reinforces the Mahābhārata’s ethical valuation of the āśrama as a space of dharma: harmony with nature, calmness, and restraint. The serene, flourishing environment functions as a moral backdrop—suggesting that inner discipline and righteous living are supported by a peaceful, sattvic setting.
Vāsudeva is describing the beauty of a hermitage-grove: elephants in early rut enhance its grandeur, many joyful birds inhabit the trees, and the forests are thick with blossoms that look like rain-clouds—together creating an exceptional, sacred atmosphere.