Shloka 18

Parṇāda’s Report; Bāhuka’s Counsel; Damayantī’s Strategic Svayaṃvara Message (अध्याय ६८)

Devanagari script

कामभोगै: प्रियैहीनां हीनां बन्धुजनेन च । देहं संधारयन्तीं हि भर्तृदर्शनकाड्क्षया,यह राजकन्या प्रिय कामभोगोंसे वंचित है। अपने बन्धुजनोंसे बिछुड़ी हुई है और पतिके दर्शनकी इच्छासे अपने (दीन-दुर्बल) शरीरको धारण कर रही है

Transliteration

kāmabhogaiḥ priyair hīnāṁ hīnāṁ bandhujanena ca | dehaṁ sandhārayantīṁ hi bhartṛ-darśana-kāṅkṣayā ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर म्हणाला—ही राजकन्या प्रिय कामसुख व आरामापासून वंचित आहे; आपल्या बंधुजनांपासूनही दूर झाली आहे. तरी पतीदर्शनाच्या आकांक्षेनेच ती हे दुर्बल शरीर सांभाळीत आहे।

Word by Word

कामभोगैःby/with pleasures of love

प्रियैःdear, beloved

हीनाम्deprived (of)

हीनाम्bereft, separated

बन्धुजनेनby/with kinsfolk, relatives

चand

देहम्body

संधारयन्तीम्sustaining, bearing (maintaining)

हिindeed, surely

भर्तृदर्शनकाङ्क्षयाby the longing to see (her) husband

Speaker

युदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

a princess (rājakanyā)

husband (bhartṛ)

kinsfolk/relatives (bandhujana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights endurance grounded in loyal love: even when comfort and family support are lost, steadfast longing for one’s rightful bond (here, the husband) can sustain a person through suffering, inviting compassion rather than judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes a royal maiden who has been cut off from pleasures and separated from her relatives; she remains alive and bears her weakened body only because she yearns to see her husband.