Shloka 5

Vaiśravaṇa-sabhā-varṇanam

Description of Kubera’s Assembly Hall

Devanagari script

तस्यां वैश्रवणो राजा विचित्राभरणाम्बर:,उस सभामें सूर्यके समान चमकीले दिव्य बिछौनोंसे ढके हुए तथा दिव्य पादपीठोंसे सुशोभित श्रेष्ठ सिंहासनपर कानोंमें ज्योतिसे जगमगाते कुण्डल और अंगोंमें विचित्र वस्त्र एवं आभूषण धारण करनेवाले श्रीमान्‌ राजा वैश्रवण (कुबेर) सहसौं स्त्रियोंसे घिरे हुए बैठते हैं

Transliteration

tasyāṃ vaiśravaṇo rājā vicitrābharaṇāmbaraḥ

Translation

Nārada nói: Trong đại sảnh huy hoàng ấy, vua Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) ngự trên bảo tòa sư tử tối thượng, khoác y phục và trang sức kỳ diệu. Đôi khuyên tai của ngài rực sáng, và ngài được nhiều mỹ nữ vây quanh; ngai tòa lại càng đẹp bởi bệ gác chân thiên giới và những tấm phủ thần diệu chói lòa như mặt trời—một hình tượng của phú quý và thịnh vượng vương giả.

Word by Word

• तस्याम्: in that (assembly)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वैश्रवणः: Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• वैश्रवणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्रवण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचित्राभरणाम्बरः: he whose ornaments and garments are variegated/wondrous
• विचित्राभरणाम्बरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्राभरणाम्बर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• sabhā (assembly hall)
• siṃhāsana (lion-throne)
• kuṇḍala (earrings)
• ābharaṇa (ornaments)
• ambara (garments)
• pādapīṭha (footstool)
• divya bichaune/āsana-ācchādana (divine coverings, implied by context)
• many women (striyaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the theme of worldly prosperity and royal magnificence as a visible sign of power and fortune. In the broader ethical frame of the Mahābhārata, such splendor can inspire admiration but also serves as a reminder that wealth and display are external and potentially transient, inviting discernment rather than attachment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing the grandeur of the celestial hall and its lord, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera). He portrays Kubera seated on an excellent throne, radiant with ornaments and garments, attended by many women, with divine furnishings enhancing the hall’s brilliance.