Shloka 25

वारुणी सभा — Varuṇa’s Divine Assembly

Nārada’s Description

Devanagari script

पल्वलानि तडागानि देहवन्त्यथ भारत । दिशस्तथा मही चैव तथा सर्वे महीधरा:

Transliteration

palvalāni taḍāgāni dehavānty atha bhārata | diśas tathā mahī caiva tathā sarve mahīdharāḥ ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：“婆罗多啊，沼泽之潭与诸湖，具身之众生，四方诸界，大地本身，以及一切群山——这一切皆为世界秩序之组成。”

Word by Word

• पल्वलानि: pools, marshy waters
• पल्वलानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल्वल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तडागानि: ponds, tanks
• तडागानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• देहवन्ति: having bodies; embodied
• देहवन्ति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देहवत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: and then; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दिशः: directions, quarters
• दिशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise; so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• मही: the earth
• मही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• तथा: likewise; so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महीधराः: mountains (earth-bearers)
• महीधराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• palvala (marsh/pool)
• taḍāga (lake/pond)
• diś (directions/quarters)
• mahī (earth)
• mahīdhara (mountains)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames nature—waters, living beings, directions, earth, and mountains—as components of an ordered cosmos, implying that human conduct (especially royal conduct) should align with and preserve this larger order (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is listing elements of the world in a descriptive sequence while addressing Yudhiṣṭhira (“Bhārata”), setting a broader context for counsel by situating human affairs within the structure of the created order.