Shloka 3.11.16

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः (Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya)

Devanagari script

अप्सरोभिस्ततस्ताभिर्मुनिर्दृष्टपरावरः।।।।नीतो मदनवश्यत्वं सुराणां कार्यसिद्धये।

Transliteration

apsarobhis tatas tābhir munir dṛṣṭaparāvaraḥ |

nīto madanavaśyatvaṃ surāṇāṃ kāryasiddhaye ||

Translation

Then that sage—one who knew the higher and the lower—was drawn under the sway of desire by those apsarases, so that the gods’ purpose might succeed.

Context

The sage, a knower of the inner self and the world of plurality, was gripped by passion for the apsaras, who had come to achieve the target of the gods.

Characters & Entities

• muni (sage)
• apsarasaḥ (apsarases)
• surāḥ (gods)
• Madana (Cupid)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Spiritual knowledge alone is not sufficient without continued discipline; dharma requires vigilance against kāma, which can overpower even the learned.

What is the narrative situation?

The apsarases succeed in making the sage fall under passion, fulfilling the gods’ plan to interrupt his ascetic progress.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized by contrast is self-mastery (indriya-nigraha): the verse shows what happens when desire gains control.