Shloka 15

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः

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

Devanagari script

सुसूक्ष्मेणोत्तरीयेण मेघवर्णेन राजता । तनुरभ्रावृता व्योम्नि चन्द्रलेखेव गच्छति,जाती हुई उस विलासिनी अप्सराकी आकृति अनेक आश्चर्योंसे भरे हुए स्वर्गलोकमें भी सिद्ध, चारण और गन्धर्वोके लिये देखनेके ही योग्य हो रही थी। अत्यन्त महीन मेघके समान श्याम रंगकी सुन्दर ओढ़नी ओडढ़े तन्वंगी उर्वशी आकाशमें बादलोंसे ढकी हुई चन्द्रलेखा-सी चली जा रही थी

Transliteration

susūkṣmeṇottarīyeṇa meghavarṇena rājatā | tanur abhrāvṛtā vyomni candralekheva gacchati ||

Translation

ಅತಿಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವಾದ, ಮೇಘವರ್ಣದಾದರೂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನವಾದ ಉತ್ತರೀಯವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿ, ಅವಳ ಸಣ್ಣ ದೇಹವು ಆಕಾಶದಲ್ಲಿ—ಮೋಡಗಳಿಂದ ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ ಚಂದ್ರರೇಖೆಯಂತೆ—ಸಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

Word by Word

सुसूक्ष्मेणwith a very fine (one)

उत्तरीयेणwith an upper garment/veil

मेघवर्णेनof cloud-like color

राजताshining, resplendent

तनुःthe slender-bodied (one)

अभ्रावृताcovered by clouds

व्योम्निin the sky

चन्द्रलेखाa moon-streak/crescent line

इवlike, as if

गच्छतिgoes, moves

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Urvaśī

Siddhas

Cāraṇas

Gandharvas

sky (vyoman)

clouds (abhra/megha)

moon-streak (candralekhā)

upper garment (uttarīya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily offers poetic narration rather than direct moral instruction; implicitly, it highlights the Mahābhārata’s sensitivity to beauty and wonder while keeping the scene orderly—admiration remains a form of aesthetic reverence, not a cause for ethical lapse or conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the apsaras Urvaśī moving through the sky, her slim figure veiled by cloud-like dark cloth and compared to a moon-streak behind clouds; her appearance captivates celestial onlookers such as Siddhas, Cāraṇas, and Gandharvas.