Shloka 53

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

धारानिनादैर्विहगप्रणादै: शुभैस्तथा बूंहितैः: कुज्जराणाम्‌ | गीतैस्तथा किन्नराणामुदारै: शुभै: स्वनै: सामगानां च वीर

Transliteration

dhārāninādair vihagapraṇādaiḥ śubhais tathā bṛṃhitaiḥ kuñjarāṇām | gītaiś tathā kinnarāṇām udāraiḥ śubhaiḥ svanaiḥ sāmagānāṃ ca vīra vīra |

Translation

Васудева сказал: «О герой, о герой! Та лесная область становилась музыкой от благих звуков — от гулкого шёпота водопадов, низвергающихся с горных вершин, от сладостных перекличек птиц, от трубного рева слонов, от благородных и чарующих песен киннаров и от благословляющих напевов певцов Сāмы.»

Word by Word

• धारा: by streams (waterfalls)
• धारा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• निनादैः: by sounds/roars
• निनादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विहग: of birds
• विहग: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्रणादैः: by calls/cries
• प्रणादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शुभैः: auspicious/pleasant
• शुभैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• बृंहितैः: by trumpeting/roaring (sounds)
• बृंहितैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृंहित
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कुञ्जराणाम्: of elephants
• कुञ्जराणाम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• गीतैः: by songs
• गीतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• किन्नराणाम्: of Kinnaras
• किन्नराणाम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किन्नर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• उदारैः: noble/beautiful
• उदारैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शुभैः: auspicious/pleasant
• शुभैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वनैः: by sounds
• स्वनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सामगानाम्: of Sāma-chanters
• सामगानाम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• mountain-peaks (parvata-śikhara)
• waterfalls/streams (dhārā)
• birds (vihaga)
• elephants (kuñjara)
• Kinnaras
• Sāma-chanters / Sāmavedic singers (sāmagāna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical-religious mood created by śubha (auspicious) sounds: nature’s harmony and Vedic chant together sanctify a place, suggesting that environments shaped by purity, beauty, and sacred speech support dharmic reflection and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva describes a forest-region near mountain-peaks as filled with layered sounds—waterfalls, birds, elephants, celestial Kinnara music, and Sāma-chanting—portraying a serene, spiritually charged setting.