Shloka 39

Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)

Devanagari script

सहस्रमिव तिग्मांशुसंघातममितद्युतिम्‌ । कुन्देन्दुहारगोक्षीरमृणालकुमुदप्रभम्‌

Transliteration

sahasram iva tigmāṁśu-saṅghātam amita-dyutim | kundendu-hāra-go-kṣīra-mṛṇāla-kumuda-prabham ||

Translation

Bhīmasena said: “(I beheld him) blazing with immeasurable radiance, like a mass of a thousand sharp-rayed suns; yet in beauty and purity he shone with the gentle whiteness of jasmine, the moon, a pearl-garland, cow’s milk, lotus-fibre, and the white water-lily.”

Word by Word

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• तिग्मांशु-संघातम्: a mass/cluster of sharp-rayed (sun)beams
• तिग्मांशु-संघातम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिग्मांशु-संघात
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमित-द्युतिम्: of immeasurable splendor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित-द्युति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुन्द-इन्दु-हार-गोक्षीर-मृणाल-कुमुद-प्रभम्: having the radiance of kunda-flowers, the moon, a pearl-necklace, cow-milk, lotus-fibres, and white lotuses
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुन्द-इन्दु-हार-गोक्षीर-मृणाल-कुमुद-प्रभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena
• Sun (tigmāṁśu)
• Moon (indu)
• jasmine (kunda)
• garland/necklace (hāra)
• cow’s milk (go-kṣīra)
• lotus-fibre (mṛṇāla)
• white water-lily (kumuda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses contrasting similes—overwhelming solar brilliance and gentle lunar-white purity—to convey that true greatness can unite power with auspiciousness and inner purity; radiance is not merely force but also a sign of elevated, beneficent presence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma is describing a figure he has seen, emphasizing an extraordinary appearance: immeasurable splendour like a thousand suns, yet visually pleasing and pure like white, auspicious substances (jasmine, moon, milk, lotus-fibre, white lily), indicating awe and reverence in his report.