Shloka 17
नारायणीयमाख्यानम् (Nārāyaṇīyam Ākhyānam) — Nārada’s Return and Hymnic Consolidation
तस्यां क्रीडन्त्यभिरतास्ते चैवाप्सरसां गणा:
tasyāṁ krīḍanty abhiratās te caivāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ
ភីṣ្មៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «នៅទីនោះ ក្រុមអប្សរាទាំងឡាយ—រីករាយក្នុងការលេងកម្សាន្ត—កំពុងលេងសប្បាយទៅមក ដោយជ្រមុជជ្រៅក្នុងសេចក្តីរីករាយរបស់ខ្លួនទាំងស្រុង»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse evokes the allure of celestial pleasure—Apsarases absorbed in play—often used in Śānti Parva’s instruction to contrast transient enjoyments with higher aims such as self-control, detachment, and liberation-oriented dharma.
Bhīṣma is describing a particular realm (implied by context) where hosts of Apsarases sport and revel, painting a vivid scene of heavenly enjoyment as part of his broader didactic discourse.