Shloka 18

पाण्डव-वृष्णि-समागमः तथा अश्वमेध-अनुज्ञा | Reunion at the Kuru Court and Authorization of the Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

शुशुभे तत्पुरं चापि समुद्रौधनि भस्वनम्‌ । नर्तकैश्वापि नृत्यद्धिगायकानां च नि:स्वनै:

Transliteration

śuśubhe tatpuraṃ cāpi samudraudhani bhasvanam | nartakaiś cāpi nṛtyadbhir gāyakānāṃ ca niḥsvanaiḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Город сиял дивным блеском, гулко отдаваясь, словно ревущая толща океана. Его наполняли ритмичные звуки танцоров в пляске и звонкие голоса певцов, так что вся столица становилась великолепной в праздничном шуме.

Word by Word

• शुशुभे: shone, was splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), perfect, 3, singular

• तत्: that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

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

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• समुद्र: ocean, sea
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: masculine, genitive (in compound sense), singular

• ओधनि: in the flood/stream, in the mass of waters
• ओधनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओधन
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• भस्वनम्: resounding, roaring
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्वत्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• नर्तकैः: by/with dancers
• नर्तकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्तक
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नृत्यद्भिः: by those dancing
• नृत्यद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, instrumental, plural

• गायकानाम्: of singers
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायक
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

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

• निःस्वनैः: by sounds, by noises
• निःस्वनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःस्वन
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the city (tatpuram)
• ocean/sea (samudra/udadhi)
• dancers (nartaka)
• singers (gāyaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the outward signs of a well-ordered realm—public joy, arts, and communal celebration—implying that prosperity and social harmony are reflected in shared cultural life rather than fear or silence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a city in festive splendor: dancers perform, singers raise their voices, and the combined noise swells like the roar of the sea, conveying a grand public celebration in the Ashvamedhika setting.