Shloka 36

Gaṅgādvāra-tīrtha, Ulūpī-saṃvāda, and Arjuna’s Dharma-Deliberation (गङ्गाद्वार-तीर्थम्, उलूपी-संवादः)

Devanagari script

विरोचमान विविधीै: पाण्डुरैर्भवनोत्तमै: । तत्‌ त्रिविष्टपसंकाशमिन्द्रप्रस्थं व्यरोचत,अनेक प्रकारके श्रेष्ठ एवं शुभ्र सदनोंसे शोभित वह नगर स्वर्गलोकके समान प्रकाशित हो रहा था। उसका नाम था इन्द्रप्रस्थ

Transliteration

virocamānaṃ vividhaiḥ pāṇḍurair bhavanottamaiḥ | tat triviṣṭapasaṃkāśam indraprasthaṃ vyarocat ||

Translation

Ornée de maintes demeures d’élite, blanches et étincelantes, la cité rayonnait avec éclat—resplendissante comme le ciel des Trente-Trois. Ainsi apparaissait Indraprastha, visible emblème de prospérité ordonnée.

Word by Word

विरोचमानःshining, resplendent

विविधैःwith various

पाण्डुरैःwhite, pale

भवनोत्तमैःwith excellent mansions

तत्that (city)

त्रिविष्टपसंकाशम्resembling heaven (Triviṣṭapa)

इन्द्रप्रस्थम्Indraprastha

व्यरोचतshone, was resplendent

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)

इ

इन्द्रप्रस्थ (Indraprastha)

त

त्रिविष्टप (Triviṣṭapa/Indra’s heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical ideal of rulership: when governance is aligned with dharma, the social world becomes orderly and auspicious, reflected outwardly in stability, beauty, and prosperity—so much so that the city is likened to heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes Indraprastha as a radiant city filled with many excellent, bright mansions, declaring that it shines like Triviṣṭapa (Indra’s heaven), emphasizing its grandeur and auspicious splendor.