कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
उपविष्टं महाराज पद्मेन्दुसद्शाननम् | फुल्लपद्मविशालाक्षं बालं पश्यामि भारत
upaviṣṭaṃ mahārāja padmendusadṛśānanam | phullapadmaviśālākṣaṃ bālaṃ paśyāmi bhārata ||
ഹേ മഹാരാജാ, ഹേ ഭാരതാ! അവിടെ ഞാൻ ഒരു ബാലനെ ഇരിക്കുന്നതായി കണ്ടു—അവന്റെ മുഖം പദ്മവും ചന്ദ്രനും പോലെ മനോഹരം; അവന്റെ കണ്ണുകൾ വിരിഞ്ഞ പദ്മദളങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ വിശാലം।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse primarily conveys auspicious, dharmic symbolism through imagery: lotus- and moon-like features signify purity, serenity, and divine favor—suggesting that true excellence and authority are aligned with inner clarity and auspicious qualities rather than mere power.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana describes a striking vision: a beautiful boy seated, with a lotus-and-moon-like face and wide lotus-like eyes. The description heightens wonder and signals the presence of an extraordinary (often divine or fated) figure within the unfolding forest narrative.