Shloka 22
Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path
विषमच्छदैरचितैरनुलिप्त इवाड्गगुलै: । वलिभिर्धातुविच्छेदे: काउ्चनाउ्जनराजतै: । सपक्षमिव नृत्यन्तं पार्श्वलग्नै: पयोधरै:,उस समय अनेक धातुओंसे रँँगे हुए सप्तपर्ण (छितवन) के पत्तोंद्वारा उनके ललाटमें विभिन्न धातुओंके काले, पीले और सफेद रंग लग गये थे, जिससे ऐसा जान पड़ता था मानो अँगुलियोंद्वारा त्रिपुण्ड्र चन्द्र लगाया गया हो। उस पर्वत-शिखरके उभय पार्श्चमें लगे हुए मेघोंसे उसकी ऐसी शोभा हो रही थी मानो वह पुनः पंखधारी होकर नृत्य कर रहा है
vaiśampāyana uvāca | viṣamacchadair acitair anulipta ivāṅgulibhiḥ | valibhir dhātuvicchedaiḥ kāñcanāñjanarajataiḥ | sapakṣam iva nṛtyantaṃ pārśvalagnaiḥ payodharaiḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: With its uneven foliage, it looked as though it had been smeared by fingers; and with streaks of mineral pigments—golden, dark (collyrium-like), and silvery-white—its surface appeared as if marked with ritual lines. And with clouds clinging to both its flanks, that mountain-peak shone as though it had regained wings and was dancing again—nature itself presenting a sacred, awe-inspiring spectacle.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the natural world can evoke sacred meaning: ordinary features—leaves, mineral colors, and clouds—are perceived through a ritual and symbolic lens, cultivating reverence, attentiveness, and a sense of the sublime rather than mere consumption of scenery.
The narrator describes a mountain-peak whose irregular foliage and multicolored mineral streaks make it look as if it bears ritual markings, while clouds cling to its sides so that it appears like a winged being dancing—an ornate visual portrayal within the forest (Vana) setting.