Shloka 4

Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

जलस्थानैश्व विविधै: पप्मिनीभिश्न शोभितम्‌ | पाण्डोर्वनं तत्‌ सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रजज्ञे हूदि मन्मथ:

Transliteration

jalasthānaiś ca vividhaiḥ padminībhiś ca śobhitam | pāṇḍor vanaṃ tat samprekṣya prajajñe hṛdi manmathaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Adorned with many kinds of water-reservoirs and beautified by lotus-filled pools, that forest appeared exceedingly charming. When King Pāṇḍu beheld it, desire (Kāma) arose within his heart—showing how the mind, stirred by sense-delight in a pleasing setting, can move even a disciplined person toward passion and its consequences.

Word by Word

• जलस्थानैः: by water-reservoirs
• जलस्थानैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पद्मिनीभिः: by lotus-ponds / lotus-bearing waters
• पद्मिनीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मिनी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• शोभितम्: adorned, beautified
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पाण्डोः: of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at, after observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• प्रजज्ञे: arose, was produced
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जन् (जनि)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• हृदि: in (the) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मन्मथः: Love (Cupid), desire
• मन्मथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्मथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍu
• vana (forest)
• jalasthāna (water-reservoirs)
• padminī (lotus-ponds)
• Manmatha (Kāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sensory beauty can awaken desire in the heart; ethical vigilance and self-restraint are needed because inner impulses can arise suddenly from external stimuli, shaping later actions and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a forest rich with waters and lotus-ponds. Seeing its enchanting beauty, King Pāṇḍu experiences the stirring of Manmatha (desire) within his heart, setting the emotional tone for the events that follow.