Shloka 24

आदि पर्व — अध्याय १०६

Pāṇḍu’s Gifts, Forest Residence, and Vidura’s Marriage

Devanagari script

ततः स्वैर्भूषणैर्दासीं भूषयित्वाप्सरोपमाम्‌ | प्रेषयामास कृष्णाय तत: काशिपते: सुता,काशिराजकी पुत्री अम्बिकाने अप्सराके समान सुन्दरी अपनी एक दासीको अपने ही आभूषणोंसे विभूषित करके काले-कलूटे महर्षि व्यासके पास भेज दिया

Transliteration

tataḥ svair bhūṣaṇair dāsīṃ bhūṣayitvāpsaropamām | preṣayāmāsa kṛṣṇāya tataḥ kāśipateḥ sutā ||

Translation

Then the daughter of the lord of Kāśī adorned a maidservant with her own ornaments, making her appear like an apsaras, and sent her to Kṛṣṇa (Vyāsa).

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• स्वैः: with her own
• स्वैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gender: (any); Case: Instrumental; Number: Plural

• भूषणैः: ornaments
• भूषणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Instrumental; Number: Plural

• दासीम्: maidservant
• दासीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी
• Form: Gender: Feminine; Case: Accusative; Number: Singular

• भूषयित्वा: having adorned
• Type: Verb
• Root: भूष्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), active: 'having adorned'

• अप्सरोपमाम्: like an apsaras (celestial nymph)
• अप्सरोपमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्सरस् + उपमा
• Form: Gender: Feminine; Case: Accusative; Number: Singular

• प्रेषयामास: sent
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषयति caus.)
• Form: Tense: Perfect (लिट्); Person: 3rd; Number: Singular; Voice: Parasmaipada

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna (here: Vyasa, the dark one)
• कृष्णाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Dative; Number: Singular

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• काशिपतेः: of the lord of Kashi
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिपति
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Genitive; Number: Singular

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता
• Form: Gender: Feminine; Case: Nominative; Number: Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kṛṣṇa (Vyāsa)
• Kāśipati (king of Kāśī)
• Kāśipateḥ sutā (daughter of the king of Kāśī)
• dāsī (maidservant)
• bhūṣaṇa (ornaments)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension: when faced with a serious duty, attempting to evade it through substitution and outward appearance can compromise truthfulness and personal responsibility. It invites reflection on whether ends (avoiding discomfort) justify means (deception and using another person as a proxy).

What is happening in the narrative?

The daughter of the king of Kāśī decorates a maid with her own jewelry so she appears exceptionally beautiful, like an apsaras, and sends her to Kṛṣṇa—understood here as the sage Vyāsa—apparently to stand in her place.