Shloka 25
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
तामाह ललितं वीर: सव्रीडस्मितशोभनाम् । स्निग्धेनापाङ्गपुङ्खेन स्पृष्ट: प्रेमोद्भ्रमद्भ्रुवा ॥ २५ ॥
tām āha lalitaṁ vīraḥ savrīḍa-smita-śobhanām snigdhenāpāṅga-puṅkhena spṛṣṭaḥ premodbhramad-bhruvā
The hero Purañjana addressed the exquisitely beautiful girl, radiant with a shy smile, in gentle words; struck by the arrows of her affectionate sidelong glance, he became bewildered in the stirrings of love.
Every living entity is a hero in two ways. When he is a victim of the illusory energy, he works as a great hero in the material world, as a great leader, politician, businessman, industrialist, etc., and his heroic activities contribute to the material advancement of civilization. One can also become a hero by being master of the senses, a gosvāmī. Material activities are false heroic activities, whereas restraining the senses from material engagement is great heroism. However great a hero one may be in the material world, he can be immediately conquered by the lumps of flesh and blood known as the breasts of women. In the history of material activities there are many examples, like the Roman hero Antony, who became captivated by the beauty of Cleopatra. Similarly, a great hero in India named Baji Rao became a victim of a woman during the time of Maharashtrian politics, and he was defeated. From history we understand that formerly politicians used to employ beautiful girls who were trained as viṣa-kanyā. These girls had poison injected into their bodies from the beginning of their lives so that in due course of time they would become so immune to the poison and so poisonous themselves that simply by kissing a person they could kill him. These poisonous girls were engaged to see an enemy and kill him with a kiss. Thus there are many instances in human history of heroes who have been curbed simply by women. Being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the living entity is certainly a great hero, but due to his own weakness he becomes attracted to the material features.
FAQs
This verse depicts how a single affectionate glance can “strike” the mind like an arrow, stirring passionate attachment—an image used in the Purañjana allegory to show how the jīva becomes bound by material fascination.
Because he was emotionally overwhelmed by her shy smile and tender sidelong glance; the narration emphasizes the moment attraction takes hold and begins shaping one’s choices.
Be mindful of how quickly attraction can capture attention and influence decisions; cultivate inner discipline and devotion so that emotions do not drag the mind away from higher purpose.