Mahabharata 1.27.9 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 27, Shloka 9

Vālakhilya-Tapas and the Birth of Garuḍa (वालखिल्यतपः-गरुडोत्पत्तिः)

Devanagari script

रमणीयं शिवं पुण्यं सर्वर्जनमनोहरैः । नानापक्षिरुतं रम्यं कद्रूपुत्रप्रहर्षणम्‌

Transliteration

ramaṇīyaṃ śivaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvajanamanoharaiḥ | nānāpaksirutaṃ ramyaṃ kadrūputrapraharṣaṇam ||

Translation

ആ വനമോ അത്യന്തം രമണീയവും മംഗളകരവും പുണ്യവുമായിരുന്നു—സകലജനങ്ങളുടെ മനസ്സിനെ മോഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ഉത്തമഗുണങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്നം. നാനാവിധ പക്ഷികളുടെ കൂകലാൽ മുഴങ്ങുന്ന, അതിവിസ്മയകരമായ ആ വനമൂലം കദ്രുവിന്റെ പുത്രന്മാരായ നാഗന്മാരുടെ ആനന്ദം വർധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• रमणीयम्: delightful, charming
• रमणीयम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रमणीय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शिवम्: auspicious, beneficent
• शिवम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुण्यम्: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वजनमनोहरैः: with (qualities) that delight the minds of all people
• सर्वजनमनोहरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-जन-मनस्-हर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• पक्षिरुतम्: filled with birds’ cries
• पक्षिरुतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्षि-रुत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रम्यम्: beautiful, pleasing
• रम्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कद्रूपुत्रप्रहर्षणम्: causing joy to Kadru’s sons (the serpents)
• कद्रूपुत्रप्रहर्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कद्रू-पुत्र-प्रहर्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पितामह (Pitāmaha/Bhīṣma as narrator-speaker)
• कद्रू (Kadrū)
• कद्रूपुत्राः (Kadru’s sons—Nāgas/serpents)
• वन (forest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a place characterized by śiva (auspiciousness) and puṇya (sacred merit) naturally uplifts and delights living beings. It reflects an ethical-cultural idea in the Mahābhārata that environments imbued with purity and harmony support well-being and joy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pitāmaha describes a beautiful, bird-filled, holy forest whose charm increases the happiness of Kadru’s sons—the Nāgas—setting a vivid scene within the Adi Parva’s account involving serpents and their surroundings.