Shloka 23

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

हंसेन्दुवर्णसदूशानायोजनसुदर्शनान्‌ । असम्बाधान्‌ समद्वारान्‌ युतानुच्चावचैर्गुणै:,वे सभी अतिथिभवन हंस और चन्द्रमाके समान सफेद थे। एक योजन दूरसे ही वे अच्छी तरह दिखायी देने लगते थे। उनमें स्थानकी संकीर्णता या तंगी नहीं थी। सबके दरवाजे बराबर थे। वे सभी गृह विभिन्न गुणों (सुख-सुविधाओं)-से युक्त थे

Transliteration

haṃsenduvarṇasadṛśān āyojanasudarśanān | asambādhān samadvārān yutān uccāvacair guṇaiḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：诸宾舍洁白如天鹅与明月，显赫夺目，远至一由旬之外亦可望见。其间宽敞无碍，不见拥挤逼仄；门阙齐整，布置匀称；每一居所皆具种种胜妙——安适与便利，足以庄严而体面地款待来宾。

Word by Word

हंस-इन्दु-वर्ण-सदृशान्resembling the color of swans and the moon (i.e., very white)

आयोजन-सुदर्शनान्clearly visible from a yojana (distance)

असम्बाधान्uncongested, spacious

सम-द्वारान्having equal/uniform doors

युतान्endowed, furnished

उच्च-अवचैःwith high and low (i.e., various)

गुणैःqualities, excellences, amenities

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

guest-houses (atithibhavanāni)

swans (haṃsa)

moon (indu)

yojana (distance measure)

doors/doorways (dvāra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of hospitality and orderly governance: public spaces meant for guests should be clean, accessible, spacious, and well-provisioned, reflecting a ruler’s responsibility to provide comfort and dignity to visitors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing the impressive guest-houses—bright white, visible from afar, spacious, uniformly designed, and richly equipped—emphasizing the grandeur and careful arrangement of the royal setting.