Shloka 32
Gaṅgādvāra-tīrtha, Ulūpī-saṃvāda, and Arjuna’s Dharma-Deliberation (गङ्गाद्वार-तीर्थम्, उलूपी-संवादः)
द्विपक्षगरुडप्रख्यैद्वरि: सौधैश्न शोभितम् । गुप्तम भ्रचयप्रख्यैगो पुरैर्मन्दरोपमै:,उस नगरके दरवाजे ऐसे जान पड़ते थे, मानो दो पाँख फैलाये गरुड़ हों। ऐसे अनेक बड़े-बड़े फाटक और अट्टालिकाएँ उस नगरकी श्रीवृद्धि कर रही थीं। मेघोंकी घटाके समान सुशोभित तथा मन्दराचलके समान ऊँचे गोपुरोंद्वारा वह नगर सब ओरसे सुरक्षित था
dvipakṣa-garuḍa-prakhyair dvāraiḥ saudhaiś ca śobhitam | guptam abhra-caya-prakhyaiḥ gopuraiḥ mandara-upamaiḥ ||
Vāyu-deva disse: “Aquela cidade era adornada por portais que pareciam Garuḍas com as duas asas abertas. Muitos grandes portões e mansões elevadas aumentavam o seu esplendor. Guardada por todos os lados por gopuras altíssimos—escuros e densos como bancos de nuvens, e altos como o monte Mandara—ela permanecia bem protegida.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of a well-ordered realm: beauty is paired with security. Splendor (śobhā) is not mere luxury; it is supported by protection (gupti) and careful civic design, suggesting responsible governance.
Vāyu-deva is describing a magnificent, strongly fortified city. He emphasizes its grand gateways, palatial buildings, and towering gopuras, using vivid similes—Garuḍa’s spread wings, cloud-banks, and Mount Mandara—to convey both majesty and impregnability.