Shloka 8

Adhyāya 51: Kṛṣṇa’s Leave-Taking and Departure for Dvārakā (द्वारकागमनानुमति)

Devanagari script

नदीपर्वतजालै श्व सर्वतः परिभूषितम्‌ । विविधाभिस्तथा चाद्धिः सततं समलंकृतम्‌

Transliteration

nadī-parvata-jālaiś ca sarvataḥ paribhūṣitam | vividhābhis tathā cādbhiḥ satataṃ samalaṅkṛtam || idaṃ jagad ekaṃ brahma-vanaṃ; avyaktā prakṛtir asyādiḥ | pañca mahābhūtāni daśendriyāṇi caikaṃ manaḥ—iti ṣoḍaśa-viśeṣair asya vistāraḥ | idaṃ carācara-prāṇibhiḥ paripūrṇam | sūrya-candra-prabhṛtibhiḥ prakāśaiḥ prakāśitam | graha-nakṣatraiḥ suśobhitam | nadī-parvata-saṅghaiḥ sarvataḥ vibhūṣitam | nānā-vidhair adbhiḥ satataṃ alaṅkṛtam | etad eva sarva-bhūtānāṃ jīvanaṃ sarva-prāṇināṃ ca gatiḥ | asmin brahma-vane kṣetrajñaś carati ||

Translation

ବାୟୁଦେବ କହିଲେ— “ଏହି ସମଗ୍ର ଜଗତ ଏକମାତ୍ର ବ୍ରହ୍ମବନ। ଏହାର ଆଦି ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ ପ୍ରକୃତି। ପଞ୍ଚ ମହାଭୂତ, ଦଶ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଓ ଏକ ମନ—ଏହି ଷୋଳ ଭିନ୍ନତା-ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଏହାର ବିସ୍ତାର। ଏହା ଚରାଚର ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ; ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ-ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରାଦିଙ୍କ ଆଲୋକରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ; ଗ୍ରହ ଓ ନକ୍ଷତ୍ରରେ ଶୋଭିତ; ନଦୀ ଓ ପର୍ବତଶ୍ରେଣୀର ଜାଲରେ ସବୁଦିଗରୁ ବିଭୂଷିତ; ଏବଂ ନାନାବିଧ ଜଳରେ ସଦା ଅଲଙ୍କୃତ। ଏହିଁ ସର୍ବଭୂତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ଓ ସର୍ବପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କ ଗତି। ଏହି ବ୍ରହ୍ମବନରେ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରଜ୍ଞ ବିଚରଣ କରନ୍ତି।”

Word by Word

• नदी: by/with rivers
• नदी: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• पर्वत: by/with mountains
• पर्वत: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जालैः: by/with networks/groups
• जालैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• परिभूषितम्: adorned, decorated
• परिभूषितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-भूष्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विविधाभिः: with various (kinds)
• विविधाभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and likewise/also
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अद्भिः: with waters
• अद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (अद्/आपः)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• सततम्: always, continually
• सततम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• समलंकृतम्: well-adorned, fully ornamented
• समलंकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√अलंकृ (अलंकृ)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva
• Brahman (brahma)
• Prakṛti (unmanifest Nature)
• kṣetrajña (Knower of the Field)
• sun (sūrya)
• moon (candra)
• planets (graha)
• constellations (nakṣatra)
• rivers (nadī)
• mountains (parvata)
• waters (ap/adbhiḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a Sāṅkhya-like vision: the cosmos is ‘Brahman’s forest,’ arising from unmanifest Prakṛti and unfolding through elements, senses, and mind, while the kṣetrajña (conscious knower) moves within it as the witnessing principle. Ethical force: cultivate discernment between Nature’s changing display and the steady knower, supporting detachment and right understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is instructing the listener by describing the world’s structure and beauty—sun, moon, stars, rivers, mountains, waters—then reframing it philosophically as a field of experience in which the kṣetrajña dwells and ‘wanders,’ guiding the audience toward metaphysical insight rather than mere description.