Shloka 58

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

हंसारावै: कोकरवै रवैरन्यैश्व पक्षिणाम्‌ । पस्पर्थ गज गन्धर्वान्‌ पुलिनैश्व शिलोच्चयान्‌

Transliteration

haṃsārāvaiḥ kokaravaiḥ ravair anyaiś ca pakṣiṇām | paspartha gaṅgā gandharvān pulinaiś ca śiloccayān ||

Translation

Sông Hằng (Gaṅgā), với tiếng gọi của thiên nga, tiếng hót ngọt ngào của chim cakravāka và muôn điệu ca của các loài chim khác, dường như đua tài cùng các Gandharva; còn với những doi cát cao và bờ bãi vút lên, nàng như sánh cạnh những đỉnh núi đá.

Word by Word

• हंसारावैः: by the cries of swans
• हंसारावैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंसाराव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कोकिलवैः: by the calls of cuckoos
• कोकिलवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिलरव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रवैः: by sounds/cries
• रवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्यैः: by other (ones)
• अन्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पक्षिणाम्: of birds
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पस्पर्ध: competed (vied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पर्ध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• गजगन्धर्वान्: elephant-like Gandharvas
• गजगन्धर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजगन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुलिनैः: by sandbanks/river-banks
• पुलिनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलिन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शिलोच्चयान्: heaps/masses of rocks (rocky heights)
• शिलोच्चयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलोच्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

सिद्ध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Gandharvas
• Haṃsa (swans)
• Cakravāka (koka) birds
• Other birds
• Pulina (riverbanks/sandbanks)
• Śiloccaya (rocky peaks/mountains)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence need not be expressed through force: Gaṅgā’s ‘competition’ is through sweetness of sound and dignified grandeur. The verse implicitly praises refined qualities—harmony, restraint, and elevating beauty—as ethically superior modes of greatness.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Siddha poetically describes the Gaṅgā: her banks and sandbars look like mountain-heights, and the chorus of swans, cakravākas, and other birds makes her seem to rival the celestial Gandharvas famed for music.