Shloka 9

Adhyāya 108: Paścima-dik—Varuṇa’s Realm, Sunset Cosmology, and Sacred-Geographic Markers

Suparṇa–Gālava संवाद

Devanagari script

अत्र मन्दरकुग्जेषु विप्रर्षिसदनेषु च । गायन्ति गाथा गन्धर्वक्षित्तबुद्धिहरा द्विज

Transliteration

atra mandarakuñjeṣu viprarṣisadaneṣu ca | gāyanti gāthā gandharvakṣittabuddhiharā dvija-brahman ||

Translation

ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜ! ଏହି ଦିଗରେ ମନ୍ଦରାଚଳର କୁଞ୍ଜମାନଙ୍କରେ ଓ ବ୍ରହ୍ମର୍ଷିମାନଙ୍କ ଆଶ୍ରମରେ ଗନ୍ଧର୍ବମାନେ ମନ-ବୁଦ୍ଧିକୁ ମୋହିତ କରୁଥିବା ଗାଥାଗୀତ ଗାନ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• मन्दरकुञ्जेषु: in the groves of Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरकुञ्जेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर-कुञ्ज
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• विप्रर्षिसदनेषु: in the dwellings/abodes of brahmarishis (sage-brahmins)
• विप्रर्षिसदनेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रर्षि-सदन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• गायन्ति: they sing
• गायन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गाथाः: songs/ballads
• गाथाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• गन्धर्व: Gandharvas (celestial singers)
• गन्धर्व: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चित्तबुद्धिहराः: mind-and-intellect-stealing; captivating
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त-बुद्धि-हर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्विजब्रह्मन्: O brahmin (twice-born)!
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yuparṇa (speaker)
• Mandara (mountain)
• Gandharvas
• Viprarṣis (brahmin seers)
• Āśramas/hermitages (viprarṣi-sadana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how powerful aesthetic experience—here, Gandharva music—can seize the mind and even sway discernment (buddhi). In a dharmic setting like sages’ hermitages, it implicitly contrasts spiritual discipline with sensory enchantment, reminding the listener to remain inwardly steady amid captivating influences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yuparṇa describes a particular direction/region as marked by Mandara’s groves and the residences of brahmin seers, where Gandharvas sing mesmerizing gāthās. The passage functions as a vivid, almost travelogue-like depiction of a sacred and wondrous landscape.