Shloka 37

Adhyāya 71: Kaca and the Saṃjīvanī-vidyā

Devayānī–Śukra Episode

Devanagari script

तादृशं तपसा युक्त प्रदीप्तमिव पावकम्‌ । कथमस्मद्विधा नारी जितेन्द्रियमभिस्पृशेत्‌,ऐसे प्रज्वलित अग्निके समान तेजस्वी, तपस्वी और जितेन्द्रिय महात्माका मुझ-जैसी नारी कैसे स्पर्श कर सकती है?

Transliteration

tādṛśaṃ tapasā yuktaṃ pradīptam iva pāvakam | katham asmadvidhā nārī jitendriyam abhispr̥śet ||

Translation

He is like a blazing fire—radiant, disciplined by austerity, and master of his senses. How could a woman such as I dare to touch or approach one who is so self-controlled?

Word by Word

तादृशम्such, of that kind

तपसाby austerity

युक्तम्endowed (with), joined

प्रदीप्तम्blazing, kindled

इवlike, as if

पावकम्fire

कथम्how

अस्मद्विधाone like me

नारीwoman

जितेन्द्रियम्self-controlled (having conquered the senses)

अभिस्पृशेत्could touch

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कण्व (Kaṇva)

प

पावक (fire)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes