Shloka 57

मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity

Devanagari script

मणिमुक्ताप्रवालैश्न महाहैरुपशोभितम्‌ । हंसमालापरिक्षिप्तं नागवीथीसमाकुलम्‌

Transliteration

maṇimuktāpravālaiś ca mahāhair upaśobhitam | haṃsamālāparikṣiptaṃ nāgavīthīsamākulam ||

Translation

มันประดับด้วยแก้วมณี ไข่มุก และปะการัง อีกทั้งงดงามด้วยสร้อยอันยิ่งใหญ่ ล้อมด้วยพวงหงส์ และแน่นด้วย ‘นาควีถี’ อันเรืองรอง

Word by Word

• मणि-मुक्ता-प्रवालैः: with gems, pearls, and corals
• मणि-मुक्ता-प्रवालैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि + मुक्ता + प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• महाहैः: with great/choice jewels
• महाहैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• उपशोभितम्: adorned, beautified
• उपशोभितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-शुभ् (धातु) → उपशोभित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हंस-माला-परिक्षिप्तम्: encircled by a garland/row of swans
• हंस-माला-परिक्षिप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + परि-क्षिप् (धातु) → परिक्षिप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• नाग-वीथी-समाकुलम्: crowded with rows/streets of elephants
• नाग-वीथी-समाकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग + वीथी (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• gems (maṇi)
• pearls (muktā)
• coral (pravāla)
• great necklaces (mahāhāra)
• swans (haṃsa)
• elephants (nāga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily functions as a descriptive passage: it evokes auspicious, orderly grandeur—ornaments, swan-garlands, and elephant processions—often used in the Mahābhārata to frame royal settings and to suggest prosperity and ceremonial dignity rather than to state a direct moral injunction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a splendid scene (a place or setting) richly decorated with precious materials and bustling with ceremonial movement—swans arranged like garlands and avenues filled with elephant processions—creating a vivid picture of royal magnificence.