Shloka 19

Devanagari script

कैलासशिखरप्रख्यैर्नभस्तलविलेखिभि: । सर्वतः संवृतः शुभ्रै: प्रासादै: सुकृतोच्छूयै:,उस रंगमण्डपके चारों ओर कैलासशिखरके समान ऊँचे और श्वेत रंगके गगनचुम्बी महल बने हुए थे

Transliteration

kailāsaśikharaprakhyair nabhastalavilekhibhiḥ | sarvataḥ saṃvṛtaḥ śubhrair prāsādaiḥ sukṛtocchūyaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The arena was enclosed on every side by splendid white palaces—lofty, well-built, and so tall that they seemed to scratch the sky, resembling the peaks of Mount Kailāsa. The description underscores royal prosperity and ordered grandeur, presenting a setting where public spectacle is framed by wealth, craftsmanship, and social hierarchy.

Word by Word

कैलास-शिखर-प्रख्यैःby/with (palaces) resembling the peak of Kailāsa

नभः-तल-विलेखिभिःby/with (palaces) that scratch/mark the sky-surface (sky-scraping)

सर्वतःon all sides

संवृतःwas surrounded/encircled

शुभ्रैःby/with white, bright (ones)

प्रासादैःby palaces/mansions

सु-कृत-उच्छ्रयैःby/with well-made lofty (palaces)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kailāsa (Mount Kailāsa)

prāsādāḥ (palaces)

raṅgamaṇḍapa (arena/pavilion; implied by context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily sets atmosphere rather than issuing a direct moral injunction: it highlights how power and public events are staged within visible symbols of prosperity and order. Such grandeur can reflect disciplined craftsmanship and social organization, while also reminding readers that worldly magnificence forms the backdrop against which ethical choices and conflicts later unfold.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the surroundings of an arena/pavilion: it is encircled by brilliant white, extremely tall palaces, compared to Mount Kailāsa’s peaks and portrayed as ‘sky-scraping.’ The focus is on the imposing architectural setting for a significant public gathering or spectacle.