Shloka 10

चित्रसेन-समागमः / The Engagement with Citrasena and the Gandharvas

Devanagari script

असत्स्त्रीणां समाचारं सत्ये मामनुपृच्छसि । असदाचरिते मार्गे कथं स्थादनुकीर्तनम्‌,'सत्ये! तुम मुझसे जिसके विषयमें पूछ रही हो, वह साध्वी स्त्रियोंका नहीं, दुराचारिणी और कुलटा स्त्रियोंका आचरण है। जिस मार्मका दुराचारिणी स्त्रियोंने अवलम्बन किया है उसके विषयमें हमलोग कोई चर्चा कैसे कर सकती हैं?

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca |

Asat-strīṇāṁ samācāraṁ satye mām anupṛcchasi |

Asad-ācarite mārge kathaṁ sthād anukīrtanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Satya, you ask me about the conduct of immoral women. Such behavior does not belong to virtuous women; it is the way of the corrupt and unchaste. How could we even speak in detail of a path founded on wrongful conduct?”

Word by Word

• {'asat-strīṇām': 'of immoral/unsuitable women

• of women lacking virtue', 'samācāram': 'conduct, customary behavior, practice', 'satye': 'O Satya (vocative)

• also ‘O truthful one’ as an address', 'mām': 'me', 'anupṛcchasi': 'you ask, you inquire', 'asad-ācarite': 'practised as wrong

• followed in an improper manner', 'mārge': 'on the path/way

• in the course of conduct', 'katham': 'how?', 'sthāt': 'could be

• could stand/be possible', 'anukīrtanam': 'recounting, detailed narration, discussion'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Satya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses ethical restraint: one should not normalize or dwell on immoral conduct by treating it as worthy of detailed discussion. It distinguishes the standards of sādhvī (virtuous) women from the practices of those who follow adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana responds to Satya’s inquiry by refusing to elaborate on a topic he deems improper—describing it as the behavior of immoral women—and questions how such a wrongful path could be recounted at length.