Shloka 66

Kubera’s Fivefold Nīti and Protection of the Pāṇḍavas (वैश्रवणोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

कर्णिकारान्‌ विकसितान्‌ कर्णपूरानिवोत्तमान्‌ | तथापश्यन्‌ कुरबकान्‌ वनराजिषु पुष्यितान्‌,खिले हुए कनेरके फूल उत्तम कर्णपूरके समान प्रतीत होते थे। इसी प्रकार वन- श्रेणियोंमें विकसित कुरबक नामक वृक्ष भी उन्होंने देखे, जो कामासक्त पुरुषोंको उत्कण्ठित करनेवाले कामदेवके बाणसमूहोंके समान जान पड़ते थे। इसी प्रकार उन्हें तिलकके वृक्ष दृष्टिगोचर हुए, जो वनश्रेणियोंके ललाटमें रचित सुन्दर तिलकके समान शोभा पा रहे थे। कहीं मनोहर मंजरियोंसे विभूषित मनोरम आम्रवृक्ष दीख पड़ते थे, जो कामदेवके बाणोंकी-सी आकृति धारण करते थे। उनकी डालियोंपर भौंरोंकी भीड़ गूँजती रहती थी। उन पर्वतोंके शिखरोंपर कितने ही ऐसे वृक्ष थे, जिनमें सुवर्णके समान सुन्दर पुष्प खिले थे। कुछ वक्षोंके पुष्प देखनेमें दावानलका भ्रम उत्पन्न करते थे। किन्हीं वृक्षोंके फूल लाल, काले तथा वैदूर्यमणिके सदृश धूमिल थे। इस प्रकार पर्वतीय शिखरोंपर विभिन्न प्रकारके पुष्पोंसे विभूषित वृक्ष बड़ी शोभा पा रहे थे

Transliteration

karṇikārān vikasitān karṇapūrān ivottamān | tathāpaśyan kurabakān vanarājiṣu puṣyitān |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: They beheld the karṇikāra trees in full bloom, their blossoms appearing like excellent ear-ornaments. In the same way, they saw kurabaka trees flowering along the forest-ridges—so alluring that they seemed like the clustered arrows of Kāma, stirring longing in those given to desire. (The passage continues this scenic catalogue, portraying the mountain-woods as richly adorned with varied blossoms, some golden, some flame-like, and some of mixed hues.)

Word by Word

कर्णिकारान्karnikāra trees/flowers

विकसितान्bloomed, opened

कर्णपूरान्ear-ornaments

इवlike, as

उत्तमान्excellent, best

तथाthus, likewise

अपश्यत्he saw

कुरबकान्kurabaka trees

वनराजिषुin the forest-rows/tracts

पुष्यितान्in bloom, flowering

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

karṇikāra (tree/blossoms)

karṇapūra (ear-ornament)

kurabaka (tree/shrub)

vana-rāji (forest ridges/tracts)

Kāma (implied in the extended description)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily offers poetic nature-description, but it also hints at an ethical contrast: the forest’s beauty can excite desire (Kāma’s ‘arrows’), reminding the listener that sense-attraction is powerful and must be met with restraint and discernment—especially relevant in an exile-journey where self-control supports dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a travel-scene in which the protagonists observe mountain-forests filled with blossoming trees. The karṇikāra flowers are compared to fine ear-ornaments, and the kurabaka blooms along forest-ridges are portrayed as intensely alluring, like Kāma’s arrows—part of a larger catalogue of varied, striking blossoms on the peaks.