Shloka 17

सौगन्धिकपुष्पप्रसङ्गः — The Saugaṇdhika Lotus and Bhīma’s Approach to Hanūmān

Devanagari script

समदैश्वापि विहगै: पादपैरन्वितास्तथा । तेवतीर्य बहुन्‌ देशानुत्तमर्च्छिसमन्वितान्‌,वह पर्वतीय प्रदेश मतवाले विहंगों और अगणित वृक्षोंसे युक्त था। पाण्डवोंने उत्तम समृद्धिसे सम्पन्न बहुत-से देशोंको लाँधकर भाँति-भाँतिके आश्वर्यजनक दृश्योंसे सुशोभित पर्वतश्रेष्ठ कैलासका दर्शन किया। उसीके निकट उन्हें भगवान्‌ नर-नारायणका आश्रम दिखायी दिया, जो नित्य फल-फूल देनेवाले दिव्य वृक्षोंसे अलंकृत था। वहीं वह विशाल एवं मनोरम बदरी भी दिखायी दी, जिसका स्कनन्‍्ध (तना) गोल था। वह वृक्ष बहुत ही चिकना, घनी छायासे युक्त और उत्तम शोभासे सम्पन्न था। उस शुभ वृक्षके सघन कोमल पत्ते भी बहुत चिकने थे

Transliteration

samadaiśv api vihagaiḥ pādapair anvītās tathā | te vatīrya bahūn deśān uttamarcchisa-samanvitān |

Translation

Disse Ghaṭotkaca: “Aquela região era igualmente provida de aves e de árvores. Tendo descido ali e ultrapassado muitas terras dotadas de esplendor e prosperidade excelentes, os Pāṇḍavas contemplaram a mais eminente das montanhas, o Kailāsa, adornado com visões maravilhosas de muitos tipos. Perto dela viram o eremitério do bem-aventurado Nara–Nārāyaṇa, embelezado por árvores divinas que dão frutos e flores perpetuamente. Ali também viram a vasta e encantadora árvore Badarī, de tronco arredondado—muito lisa, de sombra espessa e de rica beleza; até suas folhas densas e tenras eram extraordinariamente brilhantes.”

Word by Word

समदैश्वापिeven among/with the intoxicated ones too

अपिalso, even

विहगैःby/with birds

पादपैःby/with trees

अन्विताःendowed/associated (with)

तथाthus, likewise

तेthey

अवतीर्यhaving descended/crossed over

बहून्many

देशान्regions/countries

उत्तमexcellent, best

ऋद्धिprosperity, abundance

समन्वितान्endowed with, furnished with

Speaker

घटोत्कच उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ghaṭotkaca

Pāṇḍavas

Mount Kailāsa

Nara-Nārāyaṇa

āśrama (hermitage)

Badarī (tree/sacred Badarī)

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 passage highlights dharmic orientation through sacred travel: the heroes move beyond worldly regions toward a sanctified landscape where Nara-Nārāyaṇa’s hermitage stands. The ethical emphasis is that proximity to tapas (austere spiritual power) and holy places refines perception—nature itself appears as orderly, abundant, and luminous, mirroring inner discipline and devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ghaṭotkaca describes the Pāṇḍavas’ journey into the Himalayan sacred zone. They behold Mount Kailāsa with its marvelous scenery and then see nearby the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa, surrounded by ever-fruitful divine trees, including a grand, smooth, densely shaded Badarī tree.