Shloka 74

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

ततो गजकुलप्रख्यास्तडिन्मालाविभूषिता: । उत्तिष्ठन्ति महामेघा नभस्यद्भुतदर्शना:

Transliteration

tato gajakula-prakhyās taḍin-mālā-vibhūṣitāḥ | uttiṣṭhanti mahāmeghā nabhasy adbhuta-darśanāḥ ||

Translation

پھر آسمان میں ایک عجیب و غریب منظر نمودار ہوتا ہے—ہاتھیوں کے ریوڑ کی مانند عظیم الجثہ، سیاہ فام، اور بجلی کی مالاؤں سے آراستہ مہا بادل اٹھ کھڑے ہوتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• गजकुलप्रख्याः: resembling a herd of elephants
• गजकुलप्रख्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गजकुलप्रख्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तडिन्मालाविभूषिताः: adorned with garlands of lightning
• तडिन्मालाविभूषिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तडिन्मालाविभूषित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उत्तिष्ठन्ति: rise up, arise
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महामेघाः: great clouds
• महामेघाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामेघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नभसि: in the sky
• नभसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अद्भुतदर्शनाः: of wondrous appearance
• अद्भुतदर्शनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुतदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• sky (nabhas)
• mahāmeghāḥ (great clouds)
• taḍit (lightning)
• gajakula (elephant herd, as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the epic uses powerful natural imagery as a moral and narrative signal: human plans unfold under forces larger than oneself, inviting humility and attentiveness to omens and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a dramatic change in the sky: enormous, dark clouds rise and gather, flashing with lightning like garlands, compared to elephant herds—creating an ominous, awe-filled setting.