Shloka 15

Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)

Devanagari script

एवंरूपा मया नारी काचिदन्या महीतले । न दृष्टपूर्वा सुओणि यादृशी त्वमनिन्दिते,'सुश्रोणि! अनिन्दिते! जैसी तुम हो, ऐसे मनोहर रूपवाली कोई दूसरी स्त्री इस पृथ्वीपर मैंने आजसे पहले कभी नहीं देखी थी

Transliteration

evaṃrūpā mayā nārī kācid anyā mahītale | na dṛṣṭapūrvā suśroṇi yādṛśī tvam anindite ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô irréprochable, ô dame aux hanches gracieuses ! Jamais auparavant, sur cette terre, je n’ai vu une autre femme d’une beauté aussi envoûtante que la tienne.»

Word by Word

एवंरूपाof such a form/so beautiful

मयाby me

नारीwoman

काचित्some/any (a certain)

अन्याanother

महीतलेon the earth's surface/on earth

नnot

दृष्टपूर्वाseen before/previously seen

सुश्रोणिO fair-hipped one

यादृशीsuch as/like (as) which

त्वम्you

अनिन्दितेO blameless one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse illustrates a common epic convention: admiration is expressed through restrained, honorific language (“anindite”), emphasizing social decorum and the ideal of speaking without insult even when praising.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a woman is addressed directly and praised as unmatched in beauty on earth, using conventional epithets (“suśroṇi,” “anindite”) to mark respect and admiration.