Shloka 23

Vaiśravaṇa-sabhā-varṇanam

Description of Kubera’s Assembly Hall

Devanagari script

वामनैर्विकटै: कुब्जै: क्षतजाक्षैर्महारवै: । मेदोमांसाशनैरुग्रैरुग्रधन्चा महाबल:

Transliteration

vāmanair vikaṭaiḥ kubjaiḥ kṣatajākṣair mahāravaiḥ | medomāṃsāśanair ugrair ugradhanvā mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

นารทกล่าวว่า—พระองค์ถูกแวดล้อมด้วยหมู่ผู้ดุร้าย—บ้างเตี้ยแคระ บ้างพิกล บ้างหลังค่อม ตาแดงดุจโลหิต ส่งเสียงกึกก้อง—น่ากลัวและกินไขมันกับเนื้อ. ท่ามกลางบริวารอันน่าสะพรึงนั้น มหาพลผู้ทรงคันศรอันเกรี้ยวกราดประทับยืนอยู่ และด้วยเดชานุภาพก็ครอบงำผู้คนทั้งปวง.

Word by Word

• वामनैः: by/with dwarfish (ones)
• वामनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विकटैः: by/with grotesque/terrible (ones)
• विकटैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कुब्जैः: by/with hunchbacked (ones)
• कुब्जैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुब्ज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्षतजाक्षैः: with blood-eyed (ones)
• क्षतजाक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षतज-अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महारवैः: with great-roaring/noisy (ones)
• महारवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मेदोमांसाशनैः: with fat-and-flesh-eating (ones)
• मेदोमांसाशनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेदस्-मांस-आशन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उग्रैः: with fierce (ones)
• उग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उग्रधन्वा: the fierce-bowman (bearing a terrible bow)
• उग्रधन्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र-धन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• ugra-dhanvā mahābalaḥ (the mighty bow-bearing figure, contextually Śiva/Rudra in the sabhā narrative)
• bhūta-gaṇa (hosts of beings: dwarfs, grotesques, hunchbacks, blood-eyed, loud-roaring attendants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the contrast between outwardly terrifying forces and rightful authority: even when power appears dreadful through its attendants, true order in a royal assembly depends on legitimate sovereignty and disciplined control rather than mere appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a mighty, bow-bearing figure accompanied by frightening hosts—dwarfish, grotesque, hunchbacked, blood-eyed, loud-roaring, and flesh-eating beings—evoking the awe-inspiring entry/presence of a formidable divine power within the assembly context.