Shloka 54

Adhyaya 21 — Kuvalayashva’s Descent to Patala and the Rescue of Madalasa

Sanskrit

पुत्रावूचतुः ततः प्रहृष्टा सा कन्या सखीवदनमुत्तमम् ।

लज्जाजडं वीक्षमाणा किञ्चिन्नोवाच भामिनी ॥

Transliteration

putrāvūcatuḥ tataḥ prahṛṣṭā sā kanyā sakhīvadanamuttamam / lajjājaḍaṃ vīkṣamāṇā kiñcinnovāca bhāminī

Translation

Then the two young women spoke: that maiden, delighted, looked at the excellent face of her friend; becoming stiff with shyness, the lovely girl said nothing at all.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (describing the maiden and her friend); dialogue setup for the friend’s response

Key Themes

• Lajjā (modesty)
• Social psychology in dialogue
• Intermediary friend as spokesperson