Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

असुराणां पुराण्यासंस्त्रीणि वीर्यवर्तां दिवि । आयसं राजतं चैव सौवर्णमपि चापरम्‌

Transliteration

asurāṇāṃ purāṇy āsan trīṇi vīryavatāṃ divi | āyasaṃ rājataṃ caiva sauvarṇam api cāparam ||

Translation

风神伐由说道：“在远古之时，强盛的阿修罗拥有三座在空中行移的坚固天城。其一为铁所铸，其二为银所成，其三则以金打造。”

Word by Word

• असुराणाम्: of the Asuras
• असुराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पुराणि: cities/fortresses (aerial citadels)
• पुराणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• वीर्यवताम्: of the mighty/powerful
• वीर्यवताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दिवि: in heaven/in the sky
• दिवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• आयसम्: made of iron
• आयसम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• राजतम्: made of silver
• राजतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सौवर्णम्: made of gold
• सौवर्णम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• अपरम्: another/other (one)
• अपरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Asuras
• three aerial cities/forts (Tripura-like citadels)
• iron city
• silver city
• golden city

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how immense power and dazzling wealth (iron, silver, gold citadels) can become grounds for arrogance; in dharmic storytelling such grandeur is ultimately subordinate to moral order and is not a secure foundation for righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes an ancient episode: the Asuras had three moving aerial fortresses in the sky, distinguished by their metals—iron, silver, and gold—introducing a mythic setting that typically precedes their confrontation with divine forces.