Shloka 9

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Sañjaya on Arjuna’s Indraloka report and the political consequences

Devanagari script

स्तनोद्वहनसंक्षोभान्नम्यमाना पदे पदे । त्रिवलीदामचित्रेण मध्येनातीवशोभिना,स्तनोंके भारी भारको वहन करनेके कारण थककर वह पग-पगपर झुकी जाती थी। उसका अत्यन्त सुन्दर मध्यभाग (उदर) त्रिवली रेखासे विचित्र शोभा धारण करता था

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

stanodvahana-saṃkṣobhān namyamānā pade pade |

trivalī-dāma-citreṇa madhyenātīva śobhinā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Distressed and wearied by the jostling burden of carrying her heavy breasts, she kept bending at every step. Yet her waist—exceedingly beautiful—was adorned with the wondrous ornament of three graceful folds, heightening her striking appearance. The passage underscores how physical burden and vulnerability can coexist with outward beauty, inviting a reflective gaze rather than a merely possessive one.

Word by Word

स्तन-उद्वहन-संक्षोभात्from the agitation/strain caused by carrying the breasts

नम्यमानाbending (herself), stooping

पदेat a step

पदेat (each) step

त्रिवली-दाम-चित्रेणadorned/variegated with a garland-like triple fold

मध्येनwith (her) waist/middle

अतीवexceedingly, very

शोभिनाbeautiful, splendid

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes bodily strain with beauty, implicitly urging a mindful, ethically tempered perception: one should recognize vulnerability and burden behind outward appearance, rather than reducing a person to an object of gaze.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a woman’s gait and form: she bends at each step due to the heavy movement and burden of her breasts, while her waist/abdomen appears especially beautiful, marked by the decorative-looking three folds (trivalī).