Shloka 59

Kubera’s Fivefold Nīti and Protection of the Pāṇḍavas (वैश्रवणोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

अपश्यंस्ते नरव्यापत्रा गन्धमादनसानुषु । तथैव पद्मषण्डैश्वू मण्डितांश्ष समन्‍ततः,इस प्रकार वे नरश्रेष्ठ गन्थमादनके शिखरोंपर पद्मषण्डमण्डित तालाबोंको सब ओर देखते हुए आगे बढ़ रहे थे

Transliteration

apश्यṃs te naravyāghrā gandhamādana-sānuṣu | tathaiva padmaṣaṇḍaiś ca maṇḍitāṃs sarvataḥ ||

Translation

ਵੈਸ਼ੰਪਾਯਨ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਉਹ ਨਰ-ਵਿਆਘ੍ਰ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਗੰਧਮਾਦਨ ਦੇ ਢਲਾਣਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਚੋਟੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਦੇ ਗਏ; ਅਤੇ ਚੌਹੀਂ ਪਾਸੀਂ ਕਮਲ-ਗੁੱਛਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਜੀਆਂ ਝੀਲਾਂ ਤੇ ਜਲਾਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਨਿਹਾਰਿਆ।

Word by Word

अपश्यन्they saw

तेthey

नरव्याघ्राःtiger-like men, best of men

गन्धमादनसानुषुon the slopes/ridges of Gandhamādana

तथाthus, likewise

एवindeed, just

पद्मषण्डैःwith clusters/thickets of lotuses

चand

उपमण्डितान्adorned, embellished

समन्ततःon all sides, all around

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

naravyāghrāḥ (the heroic men/travellers)

Gandhamādana (mountain)

padmaṣaṇḍa (clusters of lotuses)

tadāga/hrada (ponds/lakes implied by the context of lotus-adorned waters)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how encounters with natural beauty—lotus-filled waters and sacred mountains—can refresh resolve and support steadfast conduct during difficult undertakings; serenity in the environment can nurture steadiness and disciplined perseverance.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes heroic travellers moving forward through the Gandhamādana region, observing its slopes and the surrounding lotus-adorned ponds/lakes on all sides as they proceed.