Shloka 20
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
तत्रापश्यन्महाशड्खं महामेरुमिवोच्छितम् । श्वेतपर्वतसंकाशमृषिसंघैर्निषेवितम्
tatrāpaśyan mahāśaṅkhaṁ mahāmerum ivocchritam | śvetaparvata-saṅkāśam ṛṣi-saṅghair niṣevitam ||
Di sana mereka melihat sebuah sangkakala yang amat besar, menjulang seperti Gunung Meru yang agung—putih laksana gunung bersalji, dan dikelilingi serta diziarahi oleh rombongan para resi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a martial object (a great conch) in sacred, cosmic imagery—suggesting that even within war, signs and instruments can be depicted as carriers of auspiciousness and dharmic legitimacy, watched over or honored by the spiritually eminent.
The narrator describes a scene where observers see an extraordinary conch, immense and radiant—likened to Mount Meru and a white mountain—presented as something revered, as if attended by gatherings of sages.