Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 88
Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission
कुछ विषधर सर्पोंके समान जान पड़ते थे। कोई चीर धारण करते थे और किन्हीं- किन्हींके मुख गायके नथुनोंके समान प्रतीत होते थे। किन्हींके पेट बहुत मोटे थे और किन्हींके अत्यन्त कृश। कोई शरीरसे बहुत दुबले-पतले थे तो कोई महास्थूलकाय दिखायी देते थे ।।
hṛasvagrīvā mahākarṇā nānāvyālavibhūṣaṇāḥ | gajendracarmavasanās tathā kṛṣṇājināmbarāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: They appeared in many strange forms—some like venomous serpents, some wearing rags, and some with faces resembling a cow’s nostrils. Some had huge bellies while others were extremely emaciated; some were gaunt and thin, while others looked massively corpulent. With short necks and very large ears, they wore various snakes as ornaments. Some wrapped themselves in elephant-hide, and others wore black antelope-skins.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how striking external marks—garments, ornaments, bodily features—can indicate severe austerity, wildness, or abnormality, but it implicitly cautions that true dharma is not guaranteed by appearance alone; inner conduct and intent remain decisive.
Vaiśampāyana describes a group of frightening, oddly formed beings/ascetic-like figures, detailing their bodies and attire—snakes as ornaments, elephant-hide or black antelope-skins—creating an ominous atmosphere within the war-time setting of Śalya Parva.