Shloka 11

आकाशमेघवर्णनम् / Description of the Sky Filled with Rain-Clouds

Devanagari script

महानदीभिर्बलद्वीभिस्तत्र तत्र सहस्रश: । आपूर्यमाणमत्यर्थ नृत्यन्तमिव चोर्मिभि:,बहुत-सी बड़ी-बड़ी नदियाँ सहस्रोंकी संख्यामें आकर उसमें यत्र-तत्र मिलतीं और उसे अधिकाधिक भरती रहती थीं। वह भुजाओंके समान ऊँची लहरोंको ऊपर उठाये नृत्य-सा कर रहा था

Transliteration

mahānadībhir baladvībhis tatra tatra sahasraśaḥ | āpūryamāṇam atyarthaṁ nṛtyantam iva cormibhiḥ ||

Translation

हजारों की संख्या में महान नदियाँ और प्रबल धाराएँ जहाँ-तहाँ आकर उसमें मिलतीं और उसे निरन्तर अधिकाधिक भरती रहती थीं। उफनती तरंगें भुजाओं-सी ऊँची उठतीं, मानो वह नृत्य कर रहा हो।

Word by Word

महानदीभिःby/with great rivers

बलद्वीभिःby/with mighty streams (lit. strong waters)

तत्रthere

तत्रhere and there

सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands

आपूर्यमाणम्being filled

अत्यर्थम्excessively; very much

नृत्यन्तम्dancing

इवas if; like

चand

ऊर्मिभिःwith waves

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

श

शौनक (Śaunaka)

म

महानदी (great rivers)

ऊ

ऊर्मि (waves)

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 primarily offers a vivid simile: nature’s immense forces appear animated, yet they follow an intelligible pattern—many rivers converging to fill a larger expanse. It supports the epic’s broader sensibility that the world’s power can be awe-inspiring while still operating within an underlying order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka is describing a great water-body (such as a sea or vast river-system) into which thousands of large rivers and strong currents merge from many directions, continually increasing its fullness; the waves rise like arms, making it look as though it is dancing.