Shloka 41

Devanagari script

दशमं पारणं प्राप्य द्विजातीनभिवन्द्य च । किंकिणीजालनिर्घोषं पताकाध्वजशोभितम्‌

Transliteration

daśamaṃ pāraṇaṃ prāpya dvijātīn abhivandya ca | kiṃkiṇījālanirghoṣaṃ patākādhvajaśobhitam ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Having reached the tenth stage of crossing, and having paid reverent homage to the twice-born, they came upon a place resonant with the ringing of clustered bells, adorned with banners and standards—an auspicious, ceremonially ordered scene that signals honor, hierarchy, and the sanctity accorded to the learned.

Word by Word

दशमम्tenth

पारणम्crossing; passage (stage of the journey)

प्राप्यhaving reached/attained

द्विजातीन्the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)

अभिवन्द्यhaving saluted

चand

किंकिणीजालनिर्घोषम्the sound/clang of a net of small bells

पताकाध्वजशोभितम्adorned with banners and flags

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

dvijāti (twice-born, especially Brahmins)

kiṃkiṇī-jāla (clusters of bells)

patākā (banners)

dhvaja (standards)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 foregrounds dharmic conduct through respectful salutation to the dvijas (learned, ritually authoritative elders). It implies that progress on a sacred journey is accompanied by humility, proper honoring of spiritual authority, and attentiveness to auspicious order and symbolism.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the travelers reaching a tenth ‘crossing/stage’ and offering respects to the twice-born. The setting they encounter is marked by the sound of many bells and is visually distinguished by banners and standards, suggesting a significant, ceremonially prepared locale or threshold.