Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 216

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

ननृतुस्तत्र गन्धर्वा: घट सहस्राणि सप्तधा | एक समय था

Transliteration

nanṛtus tatra gandharvāḥ ghaṭa-sahasrāṇi saptadhā |

Translation

શક્ર બોલ્યો—“ત્યાં ગંધર્વો હજારોની સંખ્યામાં, સાત સમૂહોમાં ગોઠવાઈ નૃત્ય કરતા. એક સમયે તારા ઉપર રત્નજડિત સુવર્ણમય વિશાળ છત્ર તણાયેલું રહેતું અને છ હજાર ગંધર્વ સાત સ્વરોમાં ગીત ગાતા ગાતા તારા સમક્ષ પોતાની નૃત્યકલા પ્રદર્શિત કરતા.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ननृतुः: danced
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, plural, Parasmaipada

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• गन्धर्वाः: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• घट: a pot; (here likely a scribal/reading issue)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: neuter, nominative, plural

• सप्तधा: sevenfold; in seven ways
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Gandharvas
• golden jeweled parasol (royal canopy)
• seven musical notes (sapta-svara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse evokes former royal/celestial honors—canopy, music, and dance—to underline the fragility of worldly glory. Such splendor is contingent on karma and time; ethical steadiness and humility are implied as more reliable than status and display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śakra (Indra) recalls a past scene of magnificence: Gandharvas in vast numbers perform music and dance before the addressed person, with a jeweled golden parasol held overhead—an image of high sovereignty and honor being described or contrasted with a changed present.