Shloka 20

Jarītā-Śārṅgaka-saṃvādaḥ — The Dialogue of Jaritā and the Śārṅgaka Chicks

Fire-escape deliberation

Devanagari script

विवेशान्त:पुरं तूर्ण रत्नैरुच्चावचै: शुभै: । यथोपजोष॑ सर्वश्ष जनश्रिक्रीड भारत

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | viveśāntaḥpuraṃ tūṇaṃ ratnair uccāvacaiḥ śubhaiḥ | yathopajoṣaṃ sarvaśaḥ janaśrīkrīḍa bhārata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Les femmes du gynécée entrèrent promptement dans le pavillon de plaisance, portant avec elles des joyaux de bon augure, de maintes sortes ; puis, ô Bhārata, tous se livrèrent à de charmants divertissements selon leur propre désir. La scène met en relief la prospérité royale et le plaisir raffiné, mais tenu dans le cadre de la bienséance : une joie poursuivie dans les limites du convenable et de l’ordre social.

Word by Word

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अन्तःपुरम्: the inner palace / women's quarters
• अन्तःपुरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)

• रत्नैः: with jewels
• रत्नैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• उच्चावचैः: various (high and low; diverse)
• उच्चावचैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चावच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• शुभैः: auspicious, splendid
• शुभैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• यथोपजोषम्: according to pleasure / as one likes
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + उपजोष (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)

• सर्वशः: entirely; in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)

• जनः: the people / the group
• जनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रीड: played / sported (reading uncertain)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/लङ्? (पाठभेद/भ्रंश; अपेक्षितं: अक्रीडत्/क्रीडन्ति), प्रथम, एकवचन/बहुवचन (अनिश्चित)

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• antaḥpura (inner palace/royal women’s quarters)
• ratna (jewels/gems)
• krīḍāgṛha/pleasure-pavilion (implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights that enjoyment and luxury, when kept within the boundaries of propriety (maryādā) and social discipline, can coexist with order. It implicitly contrasts regulated pleasure with indulgence that violates dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the women of the royal inner quarters enter the pleasure-pavilion swiftly, adorned with or carrying various auspicious jewels, and everyone begins recreation according to personal taste—setting a scene of festive royal leisure.