Shloka 7

Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

प्रलोभनार्थ तस्याथ प्राहिणोत्‌ पाकशासन: । दिव्यामप्सरसं पुण्यां दर्शनीयामलम्बुषाम्‌,तब इन्द्रने मुनिको लुभानेके लिये एक पवित्र दर्शनीय एवं दिव्य अप्सरा भेजी, जिसका नाम था अलम्बुषा

Transliteration

pralobhanārthaṃ tasyātha prāhiṇot pākaśāsanaḥ | divyām apsarasaṃ puṇyāṃ darśanīyām alambuṣām ||

Translation

Then, with the intention of tempting him, Pākaśāsana (Indra) dispatched the divine apsaras Alambuṣā—holy and captivating to behold. The episode underscores how even exalted beings may resort to allure as a strategy, testing the steadiness of one’s self-control and resolve.

Word by Word

• प्रलोभनार्थम्: for the purpose of enticing
• प्रलोभनार्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलोभनार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• प्राहिणोत्: sent forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (√हि)
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाकशासनः: Indra (the chastiser of Pāka)
• पाकशासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाकशासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अप्सरसम्: apsaras (celestial nymph)
• अप्सरसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पुण्याम्: holy, virtuous
• पुण्याम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दर्शनीयाम्: lovely to behold
• दर्शनीयाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्शनीय
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अलम्बुषाम्: Alambuṣā (name of the apsaras)
• अलम्बुषाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलम्बुषा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• Alambuṣā (apsaras)