Shloka 23

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

हंसेन्दुवर्णसदूशानायोजनसुदर्शनान्‌ । असम्बाधान्‌ समद्वारान्‌ युतानुच्चावचैर्गुणै:

Transliteration

haṃsenduvarṇasadṛśān āyojanasudarśanān | asambādhān samadvārān yutān uccāvacair guṇaiḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Vaiśaṃpāyana: Las casas de huéspedes eran blancas como los cisnes y la luna, y tan visibles que podían distinguirse desde una yojana de distancia. Eran espaciosas, sin estrechez ni agobio; sus puertas, uniformes y bien dispuestas; y cada morada estaba provista de diversas excelencias: comodidades y servicios dignos de recibir a los visitantes con honor.

Word by Word

• हंस-इन्दु-वर्ण-सदृशान्: resembling the color of swans and the moon (i.e., very white)
• हंस-इन्दु-वर्ण-सदृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस + इन्दु + वर्ण + सदृश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आयोजन-सुदर्शनान्: clearly visible from a yojana (distance)
• आयोजन-सुदर्शनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयोजन + सुदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• असम्बाधान्: uncongested, spacious
• असम्बाधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम्बाध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम-द्वारान्: having equal/uniform doors
• सम-द्वारान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + द्वार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• युतान्: endowed, furnished
• युतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उच्च-अवचैः: with high and low (i.e., various)
• उच्च-अवचैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च + अवच
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• गुणैः: qualities, excellences, amenities
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• guest-houses (atithibhavanāni)
• swans (haṃsa)
• moon (indu)
• yojana (distance measure)
• doors/doorways (dvāra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of hospitality and orderly governance: public spaces meant for guests should be clean, accessible, spacious, and well-provisioned, reflecting a ruler’s responsibility to provide comfort and dignity to visitors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing the impressive guest-houses—bright white, visible from afar, spacious, uniformly designed, and richly equipped—emphasizing the grandeur and careful arrangement of the royal setting.