Shloka 95

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

Devanagari script

शशलोहितवर्णाभा: क्वचिद्गैरिकधातव: । सितासिताभ्रप्रतिमा बालसूर्यसमप्र भा:,“कहीं गेरु नामक धातु हैं, जिनकी कान्ति लाल खरगोशके समान दिखायी देती है। कोई धातु श्वेत बादलोंके समान हैं, तो कोई काले मेघोंके समान। कोई प्रातःकालके सूर्यकी भाँति लाल रंगके हैं

Transliteration

śaśalohitavarṇābhāḥ kvacid gairikadhātavaḥ | sitāsitābhrapratimā bālasūryasamaprabhāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Sa ilang pook ay may mga batong-mineral na gairika (pulang okra), na kumikislap na tila mapulang kulay ng isang liyebre. May ilan na kahawig ng mapuputing ulap, may ilan na kahawig ng maiitim na ulap-ulan; at may ilan na nagniningning na parang mapulang liwanag ng araw sa pagsikat.”

Word by Word

• शश-लोहित-वर्ण-आभाः: having a hue like rabbit-blood-red (i.e., reddish like a hare)
• शश-लोहित-वर्ण-आभाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आभा (प्रातिपदिक) / शश / लोहित / वर्ण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• क्वचित्: in some places / somewhere
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित्

• गैरिक-धातवः: ochre minerals (geru-ores)
• गैरिक-धातवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक) / गैरिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सित-असित-अभ्र-प्रतिमाः: resembling white and black clouds
• सित-असित-अभ्र-प्रतिमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक) / सित / असित / अभ्र
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• बाल-सूर्य-सम-प्रभाः: having radiance like the young (morning) sun
• बाल-सूर्य-सम-प्रभाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक) / बाल / सूर्य / सम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• gairika-dhātu (red ochre ore)
• clouds (white and dark)
• sun (morning sun)
• hare (as a color-comparison)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights attentive perception of the natural world—seeing variety without grasping—suggesting a reflective mind that recognizes diversity in creation and the transient play of appearances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a region’s striking landscape, focusing on different mineral deposits whose colors are compared to a hare’s reddish hue, white and dark clouds, and the red glow of the morning sun.