Shloka 16
Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)
लक्ष्मी: पद्मालया का त्वमथ भूति: सुमध्यमे । ह्वी: श्री: कीर्तिरथो कान्तिरासां का त्वं वरानने
lakṣmīḥ padmālayā kā tvam atha bhūtiḥ sumadhyame | hrīḥ śrīḥ kīrtir atho kāntir āsāṃ kā tvaṃ varānane ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ນາງເອວບາງ, ເຈົ້າແມ່ນໃຜ? ເຈົ້າແມ່ນພຣະນາງລັກສະມີຜູ້ສະຖິດໃນດອກບົວ ຫຼື ແມ່ນພູຕິ (ຄວາມຮັ່ງມີທີ່ປາກົດເປັນຮູບ)? ໂອ ນາງໜ້າງາມ—ໃນບັນດາເທວີເຫຼົ່ານີ້: ຮຣີ (ຄວາມອາຍ), ສຣີ (ສິຣິ/ໂຊກລາບ), ກີຣຕິ (ຊື່ສຽງ), ແລະ ການຕິ (ຄວາມສະຫວ່າງໄສ)—ເຈົ້າແມ່ນຜູ້ໃດ?»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how true excellence is perceived as a convergence of virtues—prosperity, modesty, splendor, good fame, and radiance—suggesting that ethical qualities (like hrī) are integral to what society recognizes as ‘fortune’ and ‘beauty,’ not merely external appearance.
A narrator’s voice (Vaiśampāyana) reports someone addressing an exceptionally impressive woman, so striking that she is compared to Lakṣmī and other personified virtues; the speaker asks which divine quality she embodies.