Shloka 19

पितृयज्ञे नारायणतत्त्वम् — The Nārāyaṇa Grounding of Ancestral Offerings

Devanagari script

पज्चचूडाप्र भूतयो भृशमुत्फुल्ललोचना:

Transliteration

pañcacūḍāprabhūtayo bhṛśamutphullalocanāḥ

Translation

Śuka said: “They were beings of the Pañcacūḍā type, their eyes wide and fully opened in intense excitement.”

Word by Word

• पञ्चचूडाः: the five top-knotted (women/maidens)
• पञ्चचूडाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चचूडा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रभूतयः: abundant; numerous (ones)
• प्रभूतयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभूति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भृशम्: exceedingly; greatly
• भृशम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• उत्फुल्ललोचनाः: having widely opened/blooming eyes
• उत्फुल्ललोचनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्फुल्ललोचना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• Pañcacūḍā (class/type of beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily serves a descriptive function: it heightens the sense of marvel by portraying a distinct class of beings as intensely alert and excited (wide-open eyes), supporting the larger Śānti-parvan discourse where extraordinary scenes and beings are used to frame ethical and spiritual instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka is describing the appearance and demeanor of a group identified as ‘Pañcacūḍā’—numerous beings whose eyes are wide open, suggesting heightened attention, agitation, or astonishment at the unfolding event being narrated.