Shloka 16

Devanagari script

इष्टा धनपतेर्नित्यं वर्गा नाम महाबल । मम सख्यश्नतस्रो5न्या: सर्वा: कामगमा: शुभा:,महाबल! मेरा नाम वर्गा है। मैं कुबेरकी नित्यप्रेयसी रही हूँ। मेरी चार दूसरी सखियाँ भी हैं। वे सब इच्छानुसार गमन करनेवाली और सुन्दरी हैं

Transliteration

iṣṭā dhanapater nityaṃ vargā nāma mahābala | mama sakhyaś catasro ’nyāḥ sarvāḥ kāmagamāḥ śubhāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O mighty one, I am Vargā by name, ever the beloved of Dhanapati (Kubera). I have four other companions as well; all of them are auspicious and able to go wherever they wish.”

Word by Word

इष्टाbeloved, dear

धनपतेःof the lord of wealth (Kubera)

नित्यम्always, constantly

वर्गाVargā (proper name)

नामby name; name

महाबलO mighty one

ममmy

सख्यःfemale friends

चतस्रःfour

अन्याःother

सर्वाःall

कामगमाःable to go at will

शुभाःauspicious, beautiful

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vargā

Dhanapati (Kubera)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily establishes identity and status: association with Kubera signifies proximity to wealth and divine authority, while ‘kāmagamāḥ’ highlights extraordinary capacities. Ethically, it frames power and privilege as attributes that must be understood within a larger narrative order rather than as mere personal boast.

What is happening in the narrative?

A female figure named Vargā introduces herself to a ‘mighty one,’ stating she is Kubera’s constant beloved and that she has four other companions who are auspicious and can travel at will—setting up the presence and capabilities of these beings for the ensuing episode.