Shloka 21

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

सर्वतः संवृतानुच्चै: प्राकारैः सुकृतैः सितै: । सुवर्णजालसंवीतान्‌ मणिकुट्टिम भूषितान्‌,वे भव्य भवन सब ओरसे सुन्दर, सफेद और ऊँचे परकोटोंद्वारा घिरे हुए थे। उनमें सोनेकी झालरें लगी थीं। उनके आँगनके फर्शमें मणि एवं रत्न जड़े हुए थे

Transliteration

sarvataḥ saṃvṛtān uccaiḥ prākāraiḥ sukṛtaiḥ sitaiḥ | suvarṇajālasaṃvītān maṇikuṭṭima-bhūṣitān ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Por todos os lados, estavam cercados por altas muralhas brancas, bem construídas e firmes. Eram adornados com rendilhados de ouro, e seus pátios se embelezavam com pavimentos incrustados de gemas — imagem de prosperidade régia e de esplendor cuidadosamente ordenado.

Word by Word

सर्वतःon all sides, everywhere

संवृतान्enclosed, surrounded

उच्चैःhigh, loftily

प्राकारैःby ramparts/walls

सुकृतैःwell-made

सितैःwhite

सुवर्णजालसंवीतान्covered with a net/lattice of gold

मणिकुट्टिमभूषितान्adorned with gem-inlaid pavements

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

prākāra (ramparts/fortifications)

suvarṇajāla (gold latticework)

maṇikuṭṭima (gem-inlaid pavement)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 the visible signs of orderly kingship—security (ramparts), refinement (gold latticework), and prosperity (gem-inlaid pavements). In the Sabha context, such splendor also foreshadows how wealth and display can become instruments of political power and temptation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing magnificent royal buildings/complexes: they are surrounded by high, well-built white walls, ornamented with gold latticework, and their courtyards have gem-inlaid mosaic pavements.