Shloka 19

Vipula’s Yogic Protection of the Guru’s Household (विपुलस्य योगरक्षा / Vipulasya Yogarakṣā)

Devanagari script

यौवने वर्तमानानां मृष्टाभरणवाससाम्‌ | नारीणां स्वैरवृत्तीनां स्मृहयन्ति कुलस्त्रिय:

Transliteration

yauvane vartamānānāṁ mṛṣṭābharaṇavāsasām | nārīṇāṁ svairavṛttīnāṁ smṛhayanti kulastriyaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : Voyant des femmes dans l’éclat de la jeunesse, parées de beaux ornements et de riches vêtements, et vivant selon leur volonté sans frein, même les femmes de bonne maison se mettent à désirer une telle manière de vivre.

Word by Word

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वर्तमानानाम्: of those being/remaining (present)
• वर्तमानानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (वर्त्)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• मृष्ट: fine, elegant
• मृष्ट: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृष्ट
• Form: Neuter, —, —

• आभरण: ornaments
• आभरण: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण
• Form: Neuter, —, —

• वाससाम्: of garments/clothes
• वाससाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• स्वैर: self-willed, unrestrained
• स्वैर: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वैर
• Form: Feminine, —, —

• वृत्तीनाम्: of conduct/behavior
• वृत्तीनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• स्मृहयन्ति: desire, long for
• स्मृहयन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृह्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुलस्त्रियः: women of good family
• कुलस्त्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलस्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• women (nārī)
• women of good family (kulastriyaḥ)
• ornaments (ābharaṇa)
• garments (vāsas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma highlights the ethical danger of social imitation: when self-willed, pleasure-driven conduct is made attractive through youth, adornment, and display, even respectable people may begin to desire and emulate it. The verse warns that outward glamour can normalize adharma and weaken established standards of restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct. Here he comments on how the visible behavior of certain women can influence the aspirations and behavior of women from good families, emphasizing the power of example within society.