Shloka 69

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

सचाश्रचिरूपसदृशो देवतुल्यपराक्रम: । सर्वासामेव नारीणां चित्तप्रमथनो रह:,विचित्रवीर्यका रूप अश्विनीकुमारोंक समान था। वे देवताओंके समान पराक्रमी थे। एकान्तमें वे सभी नारियोंके मनको मोह लेनेकी शक्ति रखते थे

Transliteration

sa cāśrucirūpasadṛśo devatulyaparākramaḥ | sarvāsām eva nārīṇāṃ cittapramathano rahaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Il était d’une beauté saisissante et possédait une vaillance égale à celle des dieux. Dans le secret, il avait le pouvoir de troubler et de captiver l’esprit de toutes les femmes—un attrait qui agissait d’autant plus fortement dans l’ombre, là où le désir peut plus aisément l’emporter sur la retenue et la bienséance.

Word by Word

सःhe

चand

अश्विनीकुमारयोःof the two Ashvin-kumāras

रूपसदृशःsimilar in appearance

देवतुल्यपराक्रमःhaving valor equal to the gods

सर्वासाम्of all

एवindeed/just

नारीणाम्of women

चित्तप्रमथनःone who agitates/steals the mind

रहःin secret; solitude

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how beauty and power can become ethically dangerous when joined with secrecy: private settings can weaken social and personal restraints, so dharma requires vigilance, self-control, and accountability in conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a man’s extraordinary attractiveness and godlike valor, emphasizing that in secluded/private situations he could strongly captivate women’s minds—setting up the narrative consequences that such allure can produce.