Shloka 21

Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)

Devanagari script

कुड्मलाम्बुरुहाकारी तव सुभ्रु पयोधरी । कामप्रतोदाविव मां तुदतश्चारुहासिनि

Transliteration

kuḍmalāmburuhākārī tava subhru payodharī | kāmapratodāv iva māṃ tudataś cāruhāsini ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O fair-browed lady of charming smile! Your breasts, shaped like unopened lotus-buds, are tormenting me—piercing me like the goads of Kāma.”

Word by Word

• कुड्मल-अम्बुरुह-आकारी: having the form of a lotus-bud
• कुड्मल-अम्बुरुह-आकारी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुड्मल + अम्बुरुह + आकारिन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Dual

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सुभ्रु: O fair-browed one
• सुभ्रु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभ्रू
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• पयोधरी: breasts
• पयोधरी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोधर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Dual

• काम-प्रतोदौ: the goads/whips of Kāma (Love)
• काम-प्रतोदौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + प्रतोद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: true

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• तुदतः: of (them) pricking/tormenting
• तुदतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुद्
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: true

• आरु-हासिनि: O one with a lovely smile
• आरु-हासिनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारुहासिनी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kāma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the power of sensual attraction and the inner agitation it can produce. In the broader Mahābhārata ethical frame, such imagery often functions as a reminder that desire can disturb discernment and that restraint (dama) and steadiness of mind are necessary for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) reports a speech addressed to a woman described as fair-browed and smiling. The speaker uses poetic comparisons—lotus-buds and Kāma’s goad—to express being intensely afflicted by erotic desire.