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Shloka 3

Vainya-Aśvamedhe Atri–Gautama–Sanatkumāra-Nirṇaya

Vainya’s Sacrifice and the Settlement of a Dharmic Dispute

तपात्ययनिकेताश्ष शतशो5थ सहस््रश: । अपेतार्कप्रभाजाला: सविद्युद्धिमलप्रभा:,वे वर्षामें तम्बूके समान जान पड़ते थे। उनकी संख्या सैकड़ों और हजारोंतक पहुँच गयी थी। उन्होंने सूर्यके प्रभापुजजको तो ढँक दिया था और विद्युत्‌की निर्मल प्रभा धारण कर ली थी

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tapātyayaniketāś ca śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ | apetārkaprabhājālāḥ savidyuddhimalaprabhāḥ ||

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。やがて、熱の季節を住処とするかのごとき雲が、百にも千にも現れた。その群れはもはや太陽の眩光を帯びず、かわって稲妻の澄みきった輝きを宿し、天に濃く集う雨雲のように光った。この光景は、自然の圧倒的な顕現が常の輝きを屈せしめ、時と境遇の転換を告げることを示している。

तपात्ययनिकेताःhaving their abode in the end of heat (i.e., in the rainy season clouds)
तपात्ययनिकेताः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतपात्यय-निकेत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शतशःby hundreds
शतशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशतशस्
Formtrue
अथand then / also
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
Formtrue
सहस्रशःby thousands
सहस्रशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्रशस्
Formtrue
अपेतhaving departed/removed
अपेत:
TypeAdjective
Rootअप-इ (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अर्कप्रभाजालाःnets/masses of the sun’s radiance
अर्कप्रभाजालाः:
TypeNoun
Rootअर्क-प्रभा-जाल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सविद्युत्with lightning
सविद्युत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootस-विद्युत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
धूमलप्रभाःhaving smoky/grey radiance
धूमलप्रभाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootधूमल-प्रभा
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
A
arka (the Sun)
V
vidyut (lightning)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses a vivid natural image—sun-glare giving way to lightning-like purity—to suggest that greater forces (time, season, destiny) can eclipse ordinary brilliance. Ethically, it invites humility before changing circumstances and attentiveness to signs in the world.

Vaiśampāyana describes a sudden, dense appearance in great numbers—likened to rain-clouds or a stormy scene—where the sun’s harsh brilliance is obscured and a clean lightning-like radiance dominates, setting an ominous or heightened atmosphere.