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Shloka 24

Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)

विशीर्णमलिनोष्णीष: प्रकीर्णाम्बरमूर्धज: । प्रपतन्‌ दृश्यते ह सम क्षीणपुण्य इव ग्रह:,उनकी मलिन पगड़ी बिखर गयी थी, शरीरके वस्त्र अस्त-व्यस्त हो गये थे और बाल बिखर गये थे। वे गिरते समय पुण्यहीन ग्रहकी भाँति दिखायी देते थे

viśīrṇa-malinoṣṇīṣaḥ prakīrṇāmbara-mūrdhajaḥ | prapatan dṛśyate ha sama kṣīṇa-puṇya iva grahaḥ ||

ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੈਲੀ ਪੱਗ ਟੁੱਟ-ਬਿੱਖਰ ਗਈ ਸੀ; ਕੱਪੜੇ ਤੇ ਕੇਸ ਬੇਤਰਤੀਬ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਖਿੱਲਰ ਗਏ ਸਨ। ਡਿੱਗਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਉਹ ਐਸੇ ਲੱਗਦੇ ਸਨ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪੁੰਨ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਹੋਣ ਤੇ ਕੋਈ ਗ੍ਰਹਿ (ਤਾਰਾ) ਆਪਣੀ ਥਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਡਿੱਗ ਪਵੇ।

विशीर्णscattered, fallen apart
विशीर्ण:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविशीर्ण (वि-√शॄ/शॄण्, क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मलिनdirty, soiled
मलिन:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमलिन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उष्णीषःturban, headcloth
उष्णीषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउष्णीष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रकीर्णscattered, strewn about
प्रकीर्ण:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रकीर्ण (प्र-√कॄ/किर्, क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अम्बरgarment, clothing
अम्बर:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअम्बर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मूर्धजःhair (lit. born on the head)
मूर्धजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमूर्धज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रपतन्falling (while falling)
प्रपतन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्रपतत् (प्र-√पत्, शतृ)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दृश्यतेis seen, appears
दृश्यते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√दृश्
FormPresent, Atmanepada (passive sense), 3rd, Singular
indeed, surely
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
समlike, as
सम:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम
क्षीणdiminished, exhausted
क्षीण:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षीण (√क्षि, क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुण्यःmerit, virtue
पुण्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुण्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवas if, like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
ग्रहःplanet; (also) seizer
ग्रहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootग्रह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

वायुदेव उवाच

वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
ग्रह (celestial body/planet/star)
उष्णीष (turban/headdress)
अम्बर (garments)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses a vivid simile—‘like a celestial body whose merit is exhausted’—to suggest that outward collapse mirrors inner depletion: when पुण्य (merit) is spent, one’s stability, dignity, and ‘radiance’ (status/fortune) can fall away. It reinforces the Mahābhārata’s ethical theme that actions and accumulated merit have tangible consequences.

Vāyudeva describes a figure seen falling, with turban, clothes, and hair disheveled. The imagery emphasizes sudden downfall and loss of composure, comparing the person’s appearance in descent to a star/planet dropping from its place after its merit is exhausted.