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Shloka 206

पाण्डव-वृष्णि-समागमः तथा अश्वमेध-अनुज्ञा | Reunion at the Kuru Court and Authorization of the Aśvamedha

अदर्शयन्निव तदा कुरून्‌ वै दक्षिणोत्तरान्‌ | राजन्‌! उस समय वह नगर कुबेरकी अलकापुरीके समान प्रतीत होता था। वहाँ सब ओर एकान्त स्थानोंमें स्त्रियोंसहित बंदीजन खड़े थे, जिनसे उस पुरीकी शोभा बढ़ गयी थी। उस समय हवाके झोंकेसे नगरमें सब ओर पताकाएँ फहरा रही थीं, जो दक्षिण और उत्तर कुरु नामक देशोंकी शोभा दिखाती थीं

adarśayann iva tadā kurūn vai dakṣiṇottarān |

Vaiśampāyana said: At that time it was as though the city itself was displaying the Southern and Northern Kurus. The banners, stirred by gusts of wind, streamed in every direction, making the royal city appear like Kubera’s Alakā—radiant, orderly, and prosperous—its splendor heightened by attendants standing about with women in secluded places.

अदर्शयत्showed, displayed
अदर्शयत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (दर्शन)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
इवas if, like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
तदाthen, at that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
कुरून्the Kurus
कुरून्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुरु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
वैindeed, surely
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
दक्षिण-उत्तरान्southern and northern
दक्षिण-उत्तरान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदक्षिण + उत्तर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
Kuru (Dakṣiṇa Kuru, Uttara Kuru)
K
Kubera
A
Alakā (Alakāpurī)
C
city (nagara)
B
banners/flags (patākā)

Educational Q&A

The passage uses civic beauty and auspicious display—flags, orderly attendants, and a city likened to Alakā—to imply that a righteous king sustains visible prosperity and public auspiciousness, reinforcing social confidence and stability.

Vaiśampāyana describes a city scene where wind-driven banners flutter everywhere, making it seem as if the city is ‘showing’ the Southern and Northern Kurus; the city’s splendor is compared to Kubera’s Alakā, with attendants standing about in secluded places.