Shloka 6

Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 17 — Śālva’s encampment and the Yādava counter-engagement at Dvārakā

Devanagari script

मुखस्य वर्णो न विकल्पते5स्य चेलुश्व गात्राणि न चापि तस्य । सिंहोन्नतं चाप्यभिगर्जतो<5स्य शुश्राव लोको<द्धुतवीर्यमग्रयम्‌,उनके मुखका रंग तनिक भी नहीं बदलता था। उनके अंग भी विचलित नहीं होते थे। सब ओर गर्जना करते हुए प्रद्युम्नका उत्तम एवं अद्भुत बल-पराक्रमका सूचक सिंहनाद सब लोगोंको सुनायी देता था

Transliteration

mukhasya varṇo na vikalpate ’sya, celur gātrāṇi na cāpi tasya | siṁhonnataṁ cāpy abhigarjato ’sya, śuśrāva loko ’dbhuta-vīryam agryam ||

Translation

Hindi man lamang nagbago ang kulay ng kanyang mukha; ni hindi nanginig ang kanyang mga kamay at paa. At nang siya’y umungal sa lahat ng panig sa isang matayog na sigaw na tulad ng leon, narinig iyon ng lahat—isang tiyak na tanda ng kanyang sukdulan at kahanga-hangang kagitingan.

Word by Word

• {'mukhasya': 'of the face', 'varṇaḥ': 'color, complexion', 'na': 'not', 'vikalpate': 'changes, alters, wavers', 'asya': 'of him, his', 'gātrāṇi': 'limbs, body-parts', 'celuḥ (√cal)': 'trembled, shook, were unsteady', 'na cāpi': 'nor also', 'siṁha-unnatam': 'lion-like and lofty (lit. ‘raised like a lion’), proud/majestic', 'abhigarjataḥ (√garj)': 'of him who was roaring loudly', 'śuśrāva': 'heard', 'lokaḥ': 'the people, the world', 'adbhuta': 'marvelous, extraordinary', 'vīryam': 'heroic power, valor, prowess', 'agryam': 'foremost, excellent, supreme'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (speaker)
• loka (people/world)
• siṁha (lion, as a simile)
• Pradyumna (implied by the accompanying Hindi gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True valor is marked by steadiness—no loss of composure in the face, no trembling in the limbs—paired with a confident, righteous assertion of strength. The verse presents courage as disciplined self-mastery rather than panic or uncontrolled fury.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes a heroic figure whose complexion does not change and whose body does not shake. As he roars like a lion, the people hear a cry that proclaims extraordinary prowess, signaling his readiness and superiority in the impending confrontation.