Shloka 135

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)

Devanagari script

सुरूपा बहुरूपाश्च तथा कल्माषकुण्डला: । आदित्यवन्नाकपृष्ठे रेजुरैरावतोद्धवा:,ऐरावतकुलनमें उत्पन्न नागगणोंमेंसे कितने ही सुन्दर रूपवाले हैं, उनके अनेक रूप हैं, वे विचित्र कुण्डल धारण करते हैं तथा आकाशमें सूर्यदेवकी भाँति स्वर्गलोकमें प्रकाशित होते हैं

Transliteration

surūpā bahurūpāś ca tathā kalmāṣakuṇḍalāḥ | ādityavan nākapṛṣṭhe rejur airāvatoddhavāḥ ||

Translation

“Many among the serpent hosts born in the lineage of Airāvata were beautiful in form and manifold in appearance. Wearing mottled and wondrous earrings, they shone upon the heavenly firmament like the Sun, radiant on the heights of heaven.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'surūpāḥ', 'definition': 'beautiful, of pleasing form'}, {'term': 'bahurūpāḥ', 'definition': 'having many forms

• varied in appearance'}, {'term': 'kalmāṣa-kuṇḍalāḥ', 'definition': 'wearing variegated/mottled earrings (kuṇḍala)

• adorned with distinctive ornaments'}, {'term': 'ādityavat', 'definition': 'like Āditya (the Sun)

• sun-like in brilliance'}, {'term': 'nāka-pṛṣṭhe', 'definition': 'on the surface/height of heaven

• in the celestial realm'}, {'term': 'rejuḥ', 'definition': 'they shone

• they were resplendent'}, {'term': 'airāvata-uddhavāḥ', 'definition': 'sprung from Airāvata

• descendants/offspring of Airāvata'}, {'term': 'nāga-gaṇāḥ (implied)', 'definition': 'hosts/groups of nāgas (serpent beings)'}]

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Airāvata
• Nāgas
• Āditya (Sun)
• Nāka (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how noble lineage and inner vitality are reflected outwardly as beauty, variety, and radiance; it also underscores the epic’s theme that the cosmos contains many orders of beings, each with their own dignity and splendor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāma is describing the nāga hosts descended from Airāvata, emphasizing their striking forms, distinctive earrings, and their sun-like brilliance in the heavenly realm.