Shloka 38

Devanagari script

काञ्चनस्तम्भनिर्यूहवैदूर्यकृतवेदिकम्‌ । जाम्बूनदमर्यैर्दिव्यैर्गवाक्षै: सर्वतो वृतम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

kāñcanastambhaniryūhavaidūryakṛtavedikam |

jāmbūnadamayarair divyair gavākṣaiḥ sarvato vṛtam, bhārata |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, ia dikelilingi dari segala arah oleh tingkap-tingkap berjeriji ilahi daripada emas Jāmbūnada; ia dihiasi tiang-tiang emas dan unjuran cornice, serta dilengkapi pelantar (altar) yang dibuat daripada permata vaidūrya.”

Word by Word

• काञ्चन: golden
• काञ्चन: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्तम्भ: pillars
• स्तम्भ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• निर्यूह: projections/overhangs (cornices, ledges)
• निर्यूह: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वैदूर्य: cat's-eye gem (vaidūrya)
• वैदूर्य: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदूर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कृत: made (of)
• कृत: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वेदिकम्: platform/altar (vedikā)
• वेदिकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदिका
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जाम्बूनद: of Jāmbūnada-gold
• जाम्बूनद: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाम्बूनद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मयैः: made of
• मयैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• गवाक्षैः: windows/openings
• गवाक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गवाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• वृतम्: surrounded/encircled
• वृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata (Janamejaya)
• Jāmbūnada (gold)
• Vaidūrya (gemstone)
• Gavākṣa (lattice-windows)
• Vedikā (altar/platform)
• Stambha (pillars)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the epic’s broader moral logic that disciplined observance of dharma—through vows, sacrifices, and meritorious conduct—bears fruit as elevated states and honors in the afterlife, symbolized here by celestial architecture and divine adornment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a divine, richly ornamented celestial structure/vehicle—golden pillars and cornices, gemstone platforms, and golden lattice-windows—within a passage that narrates the heavenly reward granted to one who completes a sacred observance.