Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पादौ प्रक्षिप्प सा पूर्व पावके चारुदर्शना | दग्धौ दग्धौ पुन: पादावुपावर्तयतानघ,निष्पाप नरेश! मनोहर दिखायी देनेवाली उस कन्याने पहले अपने दोनों पैर आगमें डाल दिये। वे ज्यों-ज्यों जलने लगे, त्यों-ही-त्यों वह उन्हें आगके भीतर बढ़ाती गयी

Transliteration

pādau prakṣipya sā pūrvaṁ pāvake cārudarśanā | dagdhau dagdhau punaḥ pādāv upāvartayatānagha || niṣpāpa nareśa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The lovely maiden first thrust both her feet into the fire. And as they began to burn, she kept turning them back again and again into the flames—O sinless king, O blameless ruler—steadfastly persisting in her act.

Word by Word

पादौtwo feet

प्रक्षिप्यhaving thrown/put (in)

साshe

पूर्वम्first, beforehand

पावकेin the fire

चारुदर्शनाshe who is lovely to look at

दग्धौburnt

दग्धौburnt (repeated for emphasis)

पुनःagain, further

पादौthe two feet

उपावर्तयताturning/bringing (them) back/into (the fire), pushing further

अनघO sinless one

निष्पापO guiltless one

नरेशO king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

a maiden (unnamed)

fire (pāvaka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 highlights unwavering resolve in the face of pain, suggesting that certain vows or tests are pursued with determined persistence. Ethically, it invites reflection on the limits and purpose of self-endurance—whether it serves dharma and truth or becomes mere self-harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

An unnamed, beautiful maiden begins a fire-ordeal by placing her feet into the flames. As the burning intensifies, she repeatedly pushes/turns her feet back into the fire, continuing the act while the narrator addresses the listening king as 'sinless' and 'blameless.'