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 ||
Dijo Vaiśaṃpāyana: «Unas tenían forma de ciudades magníficas; otras, de manadas de elefantes. Unas eran negras como el añjana (kohl), y otras se asemejaban a makaras, como cocodrilos, en su figura».
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.