Shloka 85

Kubera’s Fivefold Nīti and Protection of the Pāṇḍavas (वैश्रवणोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनीभि श्षचरतां सहितानां शिखण्डिनाम्‌

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinībhiḥ śacarātāṃ sahitānāṃ śikhaṇḍinām

Translation

சிகண்டினிகள்—பெண் மயில்கள்—சிகண்டின்கள்—ஆண் மயில்கள்—உடன் சேர்ந்து ஒழுங்காய் கூட்டமாகச் சுற்றித் திரிந்தன.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनीभिः: by/with the peahens (female birds with crests)
• शिखण्डिनीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिनी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्चरतानाम्: of those moving/roaming
• श्चरतानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, शतृ (present active participle), Present (ongoing action)

• सहितानाम्: of those accompanied/associated (together)
• सहितानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• शिखण्डिनाम्: of the peacocks (crested ones)
• शिखण्डिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• śikhaṇḍinī (female peafowl)
• śikhaṇḍin (male peafowl)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily paints a forest tableau; ethically, it subtly highlights concord and companionship—beings moving together in mutual association—an implicit contrast to human discord that often drives the epic’s conflicts.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a scene involving peafowl: female peafowl are present alongside male peafowl, all moving about together, contributing to the atmosphere and imagery of the forest episode in Vana Parva.