Shloka 68
The Account and Merit of Śivadūtī
with the Nāga-tīrtha at Puṣkara
भीमं बलं चलितं चारुयोधं विनिर्ययौ सिंधुजलाद्विशालम् । तत्र द्विपा दैत्यभठाभ्युपेताः सयानघंटाश्च समृद्धियुक्ताः
bhīmaṃ balaṃ calitaṃ cāruyodhaṃ viniryayau siṃdhujalādviśālam | tatra dvipā daityabhaṭhābhyupetāḥ sayānaghaṃṭāśca samṛddhiyuktāḥ
सिन्धुजलाद्विशालाद् भीमं बलं चलितं चारुयोधं विनिर्ययौ। तत्र दैत्यभटाभ्युपेताः द्विपाः सयानघण्टाश्च समृद्धियुक्ताः प्रादुरभूवन्॥
Unspecified narrator (contextual narration within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; explicit dialogue-speaker not stated in the provided verse alone)
Concept: Worldly power can rise suddenly and appear prosperous, yet it may serve adharma; discern the moral direction behind splendor.
Application: Do not equate resources, pageantry, or numerical strength with righteousness; evaluate intentions and alignment with dharma before following a cause.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"From the dark-green churn of the Sindhu’s waters, a colossal asuric host rises as if the river itself has become an army. Bell-adorned elephants break the surface with spray and foam, demon-soldiers clinging to howdahs and standards, their armor gleaming with unsettling prosperity.","primary_figures":["Asura warriors","Bell-adorned war elephants","Demon charioteers/attendants"],"setting":"Indus riverbank at a wide ford; turbulent water, reed-lined edges, distant rocky bluffs; war-camp silhouettes forming on the shore.","lighting_mood":"storm-lit twilight with metallic glints on armor","color_palette":["deep river green","iron black","burnished gold","blood red","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dramatic river-emergence tableau—massive elephants with ornate gold caparisons and ringing bells, asura soldiers with fierce eyes and jeweled armor stepping from stylized Sindhu waves; heavy gold leaf on ornaments and banners, rich crimson and emerald textiles, symmetrical composition with temple-like framing motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical yet tense Indus river scene with delicate wave patterns; elephants and asura footmen emerging in layered ranks; cool slate-blue water, fine linework for bells and harnesses, distant hills and pale sky gradients, refined faces with restrained ferocity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; towering elephants and asura warriors rising from patterned green waters; exaggerated expressive eyes, rhythmic repetition of bells and banners, red-yellow-green dominance with gold accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank filled with ornate borders of lotus and wave motifs; central band shows bell-laden elephants and asura attendants emerging from Sindhu; intricate floral frames, deep indigo water with gold highlights, decorative symmetry and dense patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant war-drums","elephant bells","river surge","conch shell blasts","wind over water"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: siṃdhujalādviśālam = siṃdhu-jalāt + viśālam; daityabhaṭhābhyupetāḥ = daitya-bhaṭa + abhyupetāḥ; sayānaghaṃṭāḥ = sa-yāna-ghaṃṭāḥ.
FAQs
“Sindhu” can denote the Indus river as well as a great body of water. The verse’s phrase “from the waters of the Sindhu” functions as a mythic-geographic marker for a vast aquatic source, without forcing a single modern identification.
War-elephants signify royal or martial power, while bells (ghaṇṭāḥ) and conveyances (yāna) highlight a fully equipped, ceremonially impressive army—suggesting organized might rather than a chaotic horde.
Not directly. This shloka is primarily descriptive—building the scene of formidable forces and their equipment. Any ethical or devotional lesson would depend on the surrounding narrative context of Adhyaya 31.