Shloka 4

जतुगृहदाहः — The Burning of the Lac House and the Pāṇḍavas’ Concealed Escape

Devanagari script

सिंहर्षभगजेन्द्राणां बलवीर्यपराक्रम: । दीप्तिकान्तिद्युतिगुणै: सूर्येन्दुज्वलनोपम:,उसमें सिंहके समान बल, साँड़के समान वीर्य तथा गजराजके समान पराक्रम था, वह दीप्तिसे सूर्य, कान्तिसे चन्द्रमा तथा तेजरूपी गुणसे अग्निके समान जान पड़ता था

Transliteration

siṁharṣabhagajendrāṇāṁ balavīryaparākramaḥ | dīptikāntidyutiguṇaiḥ sūryendujvalanopamaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Il avait la force du lion, la vigueur du taureau et l’élan héroïque du roi des éléphants. Par son éclat, il semblait le soleil ; par sa beauté, la lune ; et par son énergie brûlante, le feu.

Word by Word

सिंहर्षभ-गजेन्द्राणाम्of lions, bulls, and lordly elephants

बल-वीर्य-पराक्रमःstrength, vigor, and valor

दीप्ति-कान्ति-द्युति-गुणैःby (his) qualities of radiance, beauty, and splendor

सूर्य-इन्दु-ज्वलन-उपमःhaving likeness to the sun, moon, and fire

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

lion (siṁha)

bull (ṛṣabha)

lord of elephants (gajendra)

sun (sūrya)

moon (indu)

fire (jvalana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the epic ideal of a leader: strength, vigor, and courageous initiative, complemented by a visible radiance and dignity. In Mahābhārata’s ethical imagination, such splendor is not mere ornament but a sign of capacity to protect and uphold order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a person (contextually, a heroic figure) through a chain of similes—lion, bull, elephant, sun, moon, and fire—using conventional epic imagery to convey extraordinary power, attractiveness, and commanding presence.