Shloka 3

Devanagari script

विराटस्य सभां गत्वा भूमिपालासनेष्वथ । निषेदु: पावकप्रख्या: सर्वे धिष्ण्येष्विवाग्नय:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

virāṭasya sabhāṃ gatvā bhūmipālāsaneṣv atha |

niṣeduḥ pāvakaprakhyāḥ sarve dhiṣṇyeṣv ivāgnayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Étant allés dans l’assemblée de Virāṭa, ils prirent alors place sur les trônes réservés aux rois. Tous, éclatants comme le feu, siégeaient tels des flammes sacrées allumées sur leurs autels respectifs.

Word by Word

• विराटस्य: of Virāṭa
• विराटस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सभाम्: assembly hall
• सभाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• भूमिपाल: king (protector of the earth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिपाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular (in compound)

• आसनेषु: on the seats/thrones
• आसनेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• निषेदुः: sat down
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद्
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पावकप्रख्याः: fire-like, resembling fire
• पावकप्रख्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावक-प्रख्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धिष्ण्येषु: on the hearths/altars (sacrificial platforms)
• धिष्ण्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धिष्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अग्नयः: fires
• अग्नयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Virāṭa
• royal assembly (sabhā)
• thrones/seats of kings (bhūmipālāsana)
• fires/flames (pāvaka/agnayaḥ)
• altars/hearths (dhiṣṇya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tejas (inner radiance) expressed through disciplined, rightful conduct: even in another king’s court, noble persons maintain dignity and propriety, shining by character rather than by mere display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the heroes entering King Virāṭa’s assembly and taking seats reserved for kings; their collective presence is compared to multiple sacred fires blazing on their respective altars.