Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.175.32 - Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 32

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

गन्धर्व उवाच 3644४ हब तच्छृत्वा वसिष्ठस्थ पयस्विनी । ऊर्ध्वाज्चितशि प्रबभौ रौद्रदर्शना

Transliteration

gandharva uvāca | tat śrutvā vasiṣṭhasya payasvinī ūrdhvaṃ śiraś ca grīvāṃ ca samutkṣipya prababhau raudradarśanā |

Translation

Gandharva berkata: Mendengar perintah Vasiṣṭha, “Tinggallah di sini,” Nandinī, lembu yang mengalirkan susu itu, mengangkat kepala dan lehernya ke atas. Pada saat itu ia tampak garang dan menggerunkan—menandakan kuasa di sebalik kata-kata sang resi serta perlindungan terhadap apa yang wajar dipertahankan menurut dharma.

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Word by Word

• गन्धर्वः: the Gandharva
• गन्धर्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that (statement/word)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Active

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasiṣṭha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पयस्विनी: the milk-giving cow (Nandinī)
• पयस्विनी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस्विनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व

• चितशिराः: with head raised
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चितशिरस्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रबभौ: shone forth/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रौद्रदर्शना: having a fierce/terrible appearance
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्रदर्शन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गन्धर्व (Gandharva)
• वसिष्ठ (Vasiṣṭha)
• नन्दिनी (Nandinī)
• पयस्विनी (the milk-giving cow, epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the potency of a righteous sage’s command and the protective force aligned with dharma: when legitimate authority is threatened, dharmic power manifests to defend what is rightfully safeguarded.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Vasiṣṭha’s words, Nandinī (described as a milk-giving cow) raises her head and neck and suddenly appears terrifying—an omen-like transformation indicating readiness to act in defense under the sage’s direction.