Shloka 39

अर्जुनागमनम्

Arjuna’s Arrival and Reunion on the Sacred Mountain

Devanagari script

शैलादश्युच्छुयवता चयाट्टालकशोभिना । द्वारतोरणनिर्व्यूहध्वजसंवाहशोभिना,उसके चारों ओर सोनेकी चहारदीवारी बनी थी। उसमें सब प्रकारके रत्न जड़े होनेसे उनकी प्रभा फैलती रहती थी। चहारदीवारीके सब ओर सुन्दर बगीचे थे। उस चहारदीवारीकी ऊँचाई पर्वतसे भी अधिक थी। बहुतसे भवनों और अट्टालिकाओंसे उसकी बड़ी शोभा हो रही थी। द्वार, तोरण (गोपुर), बुर्ज और ध्वजसमुदाय उसकी शोभा बढ़ा रहे थे

Transliteration

śailād asy ucchu-yavatā ca yāṭṭālaka-śobhinā | dvāra-toraṇa-nirvyūha-dhvaja-saṃvāha-śobhinā ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “It was adorned with lofty ramparts rising like a mountain, and beautified by many mansions and tall towers. Its splendor was further enhanced by its gates, ceremonial archways, bastions, and clustered standards—signs of ordered prosperity and royal security.”

Word by Word

• शैलात्: than/from a mountain
• शैलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अस्य: of this/its
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• उच्छ्रयवता: with great height/elevation
• उच्छ्रयवता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छ्रयवत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अट्टालक-शोभिना: made splendid by towers/mansions
• अट्टालक-शोभिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अट्टालकशोभिन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• द्वार-तोरण-निर्व्यूह-ध्वज-संवाह-शोभिना: splendid with gates, archways, bastions/defensive arrays, flags and their assemblage
• द्वार-तोरण-निर्व्यूह-ध्वज-संवाह-शोभिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वारतोरणनिर्व्यूहध्वजसंवाहशोभिन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• śaila (mountain, as simile)
• aṭṭālaka (towers)
• dvāra (gates)
• toraṇa (archways)
• nirvyūha (bastions/outworks)
• dhvaja (banners/standards)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ideal of well-ordered kingship: prosperity is shown not merely by wealth but by structured civic space—fortifications, gateways, and standards that symbolize protection, stability, and disciplined governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is giving a vivid architectural description of a grand fortified enclosure or city: towering structures like mountains, many buildings and towers, and prominent gates, archways, bastions, and banners that heighten its magnificence.