Shloka 8

हिरण्यपुरवर्णनम्

Description of Hiraṇyapura and the Nivātakavacas

Devanagari script

अत्र नानाविधाकारास्तिमयो नैकरूपिण: । अप्सु सोमप्रभां पीत्वा वसन्ति जलचारिण:

Transliteration

atra nānāvidhākārās timayo naikarūpiṇaḥ | apsu somaprabhāṃ pītvā vasanti jalacāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Ici demeurent des êtres aquatiques—timis et autres voyageurs des eaux—de maintes espèces et de formes changeantes. Buvant la clarté de la lune sur les flots, ils résident dans ce royaume des profondeurs.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• नाना-विध-आकाराः: having forms of various kinds
• नाना-विध-आकाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (नाना-विध-आकार)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तिमयः: timis (a kind of large fish/sea-creature)
• तिमयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिमि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न-एक-रूपिणः: not of one form; multiform
• न-एक-रूपिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिन् (न-एक-रूपिन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अप्सु: in the waters
• अप्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• सोम-प्रभाम्: moonlight (the moon's radiance)
• सोम-प्रभाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (सोम-प्रभा)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage)

• वसन्ति: they dwell/live
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• जल-चारिणः: water-roamers; aquatic creatures
• जल-चारिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारिन् (जल-चारिन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Soma (the Moon)
• timis (timayaḥ)
• aquatic beings (jalacāriṇaḥ)
• waters (apsu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse evokes a vision of the natural-cosmic order: diverse beings live according to their own natures, sustained by subtle nourishment (moonlight on water). It underscores plurality in creation and the quiet harmony of beings abiding in their proper domain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a wondrous aquatic realm, noting that many kinds of water-dwelling creatures—timis among them—reside there, figuratively ‘drinking’ the moon’s radiance reflected upon the waters.