Shloka 77
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
केचित् पुरवराकारा: केचिद् गजकुलोपमा: । केचिदञ्जनसंकाशा: केचिन्मकरसंनिभा:,कुछ श्रेष्ठ नगरोंके समान, कुछ हाथियोंके झुंड-जैसे, कुछ काजलके रंगवाले और कुछ मगरोंकी-सी आकृतिवाले होते हैं
kecit puravarākārāḥ kecid gajakūlopamāḥ | kecid añjanasaṅkāśāḥ kecin makarasaṃnibhāḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Some appeared like excellent cities in form, some like herds of elephants; some were dark as collyrium, and some resembled crocodiles in shape.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the vast diversity and unpredictability of the forest world: appearances vary greatly, and one must meet the unknown with alertness and discernment rather than assumptions.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a group of beings/figures encountered or spoken of in the forest context, emphasizing their varied and extraordinary forms by comparing them to cities, elephant herds, dark collyrium, and crocodiles.