Shloka 40

Adhyaya 18 — Alarka's Story

Sanskrit

नीलोत्पलाभनयनां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् ।

गदन्तीं मधुरां भाषां सर्वैर्योषिद्गुणैर्युताम् ॥

Transliteration

nīlotpalābhanayanāṃ pīnaśroṇipayodharām | gadantīṃ madhurāṃ bhāṣāṃ sarvair yoṣidguṇair yutām ||

Translation

അവൾക്ക് നീലത്താമരപോലെയുള്ള കണ്ണുകൾ, പുഷ്ടമായ നിതംബവും സ്തനവും, മധുരവാക്യം; സ്ത്രീധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ സകല ഗുണങ്ങളാലും സമന്വിതയായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• नीलोत्पलाभनयनाम्: having eyes like blue lotuses
• नीलोत्पलाभनयनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla-utpala-ābha-nayanā (प्रातिपदिक: nīla + utpala + ābha + nayanā)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम्: with full hips and breasts
• पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīna-śroṇi-payodharā (प्रातिपदिक: pīna + śroṇi + payodharā)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• गदन्तीम्: speaking/uttering
• गदन्तीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gad (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मधुराम्: sweet
• मधुराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhurā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies भाषाम्

• भाषाम्: speech/words
• भाषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सर्वैः: with all
• सर्वैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); used with गुणैः

• योषित्-गुणैः: with the qualities of a woman
• योषित्-गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoṣit-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक: yoṣit + guṇa)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• युताम्: endowed/possessed
• युताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuta (प्रातिपदिक; past passive participle from yuj/युज्)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Garga (narrator) within the Markandeya Purana’s narrative frame

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya

Shakti Aspects

• Śrī/Lakṣmī-like splendour (aesthetic-temptation motif)

Key Themes

• Kāma (desire)
• Aesthetic description
• Moha
• Ethics of restraint

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse illustrates how sensory description can function as a narrative device to test character. The moral pressure is on the observer: whether one responds with reverence and restraint or with appropriation and violence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Again, it is didactic narrative rather than cosmological enumeration—used to convey dharma through the psychology of temptation.

What is the esoteric significance?

Lotus-eyes and sweet speech symbolize the attractive veneer of māyā when apprehended by desire. The text hints that ‘virtues’ perceived externally can be misread as license for possession.