Shloka 44

Aṣṭāvakra–Strī-saṃvāda: Dhṛti, hospitality, and a dispute on autonomy

Devanagari script

अथोरवरा मिश्रकेशी रम्भा चैवोर्वशी तथा । अलम्बुषा घृताची च चित्रा चित्राड़दा रुचि:,तदनन्तर उर्वरा, मिश्रकेशी, रम्भा, उर्वशी, अलम्बुषा, घृताची, चित्रा, चित्रांगदा, रुचि, मनोहरा, सुकेशी, सुमुखी, हासिनी, प्रभा, विद्युता, प्रशमी, दान्ता, विद्योता और रति-ये तथा और भी बहुत-सी शुभलक्षणा अप्सराएँ नृत्य करने लगीं और गन्धर्वगण नाना प्रकारके बाजे बजाने लगे

Transliteration

athorvarā miśrakeśī rambhā caivorvaśī tathā | alambuṣā ghṛtācī ca citrā citrāṅgadā ruciḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Da erschienen Urvarā, Miśrakeśī, Rambhā und auch Urvaśī; Alambuṣā und Ghṛtācī; Citrā, Citrāṅgadā und Ruci.

Word by Word

अथthen/now

उर्वराUrvārā (name of an apsaras)

मिश्रकेशीMiśrakeśī (name; 'mixed/variegated-haired')

रम्भाRambhā (name of an apsaras)

चand

एवindeed/just

उर्वशीUrvāśī (name of an apsaras)

तथाlikewise/also

अलम्बुषाAlambuṣā (name of an apsaras)

घृताचीGhṛtācī (name of an apsaras)

चand

चित्राCitrā (name of an apsaras)

चित्राङ्गदाCitrāṅgadā (name; 'having variegated ornaments/limbs')

रुचिःRuci (name; 'splendour')

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Urvarā

Miśrakeśī

Rambhā

Urvaśī

Alambuṣā

Ghṛtācī

Citrā

Citrāṅgadā

Ruci

Apsarases

Gandharvas

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 primarily functions as descriptive narration rather than direct moral instruction. In the broader ethical frame of the Anuśāsana Parva, such depictions often serve as reminders that even dazzling pleasures and divine entertainments are transient and can distract the mind; steadiness in dharma requires discernment amid allure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma lists prominent apsarases who appear in sequence. The surrounding context (as reflected in the accompanying prose tradition) portrays them dancing while gandharvas play various instruments, creating a celestial spectacle.