Shloka 37

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

षष्टिदन्तावष्टदंष्टी मेघौघसदृशस्वनौ । स्वास्यौ पृथुललाटौ च सुभ्रू सुहनुनासिकौ

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭidantāv aṣṭadaṃṣṭī meghaughasadṛśasvanau | svāsyau pṛthulalāṭau ca subhrū suhanunāsikau ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «У них было шестьдесят зубов и восемь выдающихся клыков; их голоса гремели глубоко, словно громада дождевых туч. Лица их были прекрасны, лбы широки, брови изящно изогнуты, подбородок и нос хорошо сложены — так что от них исходило необычайное сияние».

Word by Word

• षष्टिदन्तौ: having sixty teeth (the two)
• षष्टिदन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि-दन्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अष्टदंष्टी: having eight tusks/fangs (the two)
• अष्टदंष्टी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट-दंष्ट्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• मेघौघसदृशस्वनौ: whose sound is like a mass of clouds (thunder-like)
• मेघौघसदृशस्वनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ-ओघ-सदृश-स्वन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• स्वास्यौ: having beautiful faces/mouths
• स्वास्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-आस्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पृथुललाटौ: broad-foreheaded
• पृथुललाटौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु-ललाट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• सुभ्रू: having beautiful eyebrows
• सुभ्रू: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-भ्रू
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सुहनुनासिकौ: having beautiful chins and noses
• सुहनुनासिकौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-हनु-नासिका
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports a Shanti Parva theme: the ideal ruler or exemplary person is recognized not merely by power but by auspicious signs and dignified presence—symbolizing inner excellence, self-mastery, and fitness for dharmic leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing the extraordinary physical features and imposing, auspicious appearance of the subjects under discussion, emphasizing their beauty and the thunder-like depth of their voices as part of a larger portrayal of ideal qualities.