Mahabharata — Sabha Parva, Shloka 38
यमसभावर्णनम् (Yamasabhā-varṇanam) — Nārada’s Description of Dharmarāja’s Assembly
गन्धर्वाश्व महात्मान: सड्घशश्चाप्सरोगणा: । वादित्रं नृत्यगीतं च हास्यं लास्यं च सर्वशः
gandharvāś ca mahātmānaḥ saṅghaśaś cāpsarogaṇāḥ | vāditraṃ nṛtyagītaṃ ca hāsyaṃ lāsyaṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ||
Nārada disse: “Ali, nobres Gandharvas e companhias inteiras de Apsarās estavam presentes naquela assembleia, exibindo excelência em toda espécie de instrumento musical, dança, canto, riso e apresentação graciosa.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how worldly power and prosperity often manifest as refined pleasures and spectacle; it implicitly invites discernment—splendor and entertainment can enchant the mind, so one should not mistake external magnificence for inner virtue or lasting dharma.
Nārada is describing the extraordinary royal assembly hall, where Gandharvas and hosts of Apsarās perform music, dance, and other arts, enhancing the hall’s grandeur and creating an atmosphere of celestial-level magnificence.