Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa
क्रीडन्त्या: पुञ्जिकस्थल्या: कन्दुकै: स्तनगौरवात् । भृशमुद्विग्नमध्याया: केशविस्रंसितस्रज: ॥ २६ ॥ इतस्ततोभ्रमद्दृष्टेश्चलन्त्या अनुकन्दुकम् । वायुर्जहार तद्वास: सूक्ष्मं त्रुटितमेखलम् ॥ २७ ॥
krīḍantyāḥ puñjikasthalyāḥ kandukaiḥ stana-gauravāt bhṛśam udvigna-madhyāyāḥ keśa-visraṁsita-srajaḥ
Apsara Puñjikasthalī berpura-pura bermain dengan banyak bola. Kerana berat dadanya, pinggangnya tampak goyah dan kalungan bunga di rambutnya menjadi berserabut. Ketika dia berlari mengejar bola sambil memandang ke sana sini, tali pinggang pakaian nipisnya terlerai; tiba-tiba angin menerbangkan pakaiannya.
The verse depicts Puñjikāsthalī’s playful movement and the bodily effects of her motion, setting the scene for the next verse where a gust of wind creates a revealing moment—often used in the Purāṇic style to highlight the precariousness of sensual life.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this narration to King Parīkṣit as part of the closing accounts and illustrative episodes in Canto 12.
It encourages sobriety toward bodily attraction and reminds one to seek lasting shelter in bhakti rather than being captivated by fleeting sensual impressions.