Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एते पञ्च महाशज्भा: पर्वता: शीतलद्रुमा: । रक्षन्तीवाभिसंहत्य संहताड़ा गिरिव्रजम्‌,तात! यहाँ विहारोपयोगी विपुल, वराह, वृषभ (ऋषभ), ऋषिगिरि (मातंग) तथा पाँचवाँ चैत्यक नामक पर्वत है। बड़े-बड़े शिखरोंवाले ये पाँचों सुन्दर पर्वत शीतल छायावाले वृक्षोंसे सुशोभित हैं और एक साथ मिलकर एक-दूसरेके शरीरका स्पर्श करते हुए मानो गिरिव्रज नगरकी रक्षा कर रहे हैं

Transliteration

ete pañca mahāśṛṅgāḥ parvatāḥ śītaladrumāḥ | rakṣantīvābhisaṃhatya saṃhatāḍhā girivrajam, tāta |

Translation

“Here are five mountains with lofty peaks, shaded by cool, sheltering trees. Standing close together, their masses touching as if in mutual embrace, they seem—dear one—to be guarding the city of Girivraja.”

Word by Word

एतेthese

पञ्चfive

महाशृङ्गाःhaving great peaks

पर्वताःmountains

शीतलद्रुमाःhaving cool trees (cool-shaded with trees)

रक्षन्तिthey protect

इवas if

अभिसंहत्यhaving gathered together / uniting

संहताjoined together / compact

गिरिव्रजम्Girivraja (the city enclosed by hills)

तातdear one / O father (term of address)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Girivraja

Five mountains (Varāha, Vipula, Vṛṣabha/Ṛṣabha, Ṛṣigiri/Mātaṅga, Caityaka)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses nature imagery to convey the idea of protection through unity: the mountains, standing together and ‘touching’ one another, symbolize collective strength that safeguards a realm—an implicit ethical ideal for communities and rulers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is describing the landscape around Girivraja, pointing out five prominent, tree-covered mountains whose clustered formation appears to function like a natural fortress guarding the city.