Shloka 3

Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka

Book 14, Chapter 43

Devanagari script

न्यग्रोधो जम्बुवृक्षश्ष पिप्पल: शाल्मलिस्तथा । शिंशपा मेषशृज्ञश्न तथा कीचकवेणव:

Transliteration

nyagrodho jambuvṛkṣaś ca pippalaḥ śālmalis tathā | śiṃśapā meṣaśṛṅgī ca tathā kīcakaveṇavaḥ ||

Translation

వాయుదేవుడు పలికెను—న్యగ్రోధము (వటవృక్షము), జంబువృక్షము, పిప్పలము (అశ్వత్థము), శాల్మలి; అలాగే శింశపా, మేషశృంగీ, మరియు కీచక-వేణువులు (వెదురు).

Word by Word

• न्यग्रोधः: banyan tree
• न्यग्रोधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यग्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जम्बुवृक्षः: jambu tree (rose-apple tree)
• जम्बुवृक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बुवृक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पिप्पलः: pippala (sacred fig) tree
• पिप्पलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शाल्मलिः: śālmali (silk-cotton) tree
• शाल्मलिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• शिंशपा: śiṃśapā tree (Indian rosewood)
• शिंशपा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिंशपा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मेषशृङ्गः: meṣaśṛṅga (a plant/tree; lit. 'ram's horn')
• मेषशृङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेषशृङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• कीचकवेणवः: kīcaka bamboos/reeds
• कीचकवेणवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीचकवेणु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• Nyagrodha (banyan tree)
• Jambu tree
• Pippala (Aśvattha) tree
• Śālmali tree
• Śiṃśapā tree
• Meṣaśṛṅgī (plant)
• Kīcaka bamboo (veṇu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ordered variety of creation by listing significant trees and plants; such catalogues in the Mahābhārata commonly support ethical and ritual reflection—recognizing what sustains life, what is venerable, and how dharma is aligned with the natural order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is speaking and enumerates a set of well-known trees and bamboos. The list functions as part of a broader explanatory or instructive passage (typical of divine discourse) where natural categories are cited to clarify a point about the world, conduct, or ritual propriety.