Shloka 13

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 158 — Aṅgāraparṇa-saṃvāda and Gaṅgā-tīrtha Saṃghaṭṭa

Encounter at the Gaṅgā ford

Devanagari script

साहं विचाल्यमाना वै प्रार्थ्यमाना दुरात्मभि: । स्थातुं पथि न शक्ष्यामि सज्जनेष्टे द्विजोत्तम,जैसे पक्षी पृथ्वीपर डाले हुए मांसके टुकड़ेको लेनेके लिये झपटते हैं, उसी प्रकार सब लोग विधवा स्त्रीको वशमें करना चाहते हैं। द्विजश्रेष्ठ) दुराचारी मनुष्य जब बार-बार मुझसे याचना करते हुए मुझे मर्यादासे विचलित करनेकी चेष्टा करेंगे, उस समय मैं श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंके द्वारा अभिलषित मार्गपर स्थिर नहीं रह सकूँगी

Transliteration

sāhaṃ vicālyamānā vai prārthyamānā durātmabhiḥ | sthātuṃ pathi na śakṣyāmi sajjaneṣṭe dvijottama ||

Translation

ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜୋତ୍ତମ! ଦୁରାତ୍ମା ଲୋକେ ପୁନଃପୁନଃ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରି ମୋତେ ମର୍ଯ୍ୟାଦାର ସୀମାରୁ ଚଳାଇବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରିବେ; ସେତେବେଳେ ସଜ୍ଜନମାନେ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରୁଥିବା ଧର୍ମପଥରେ ମୁଁ ସ୍ଥିର ରହିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ। ଯେପରି ଭୂମିରେ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ମାଂସଖଣ୍ଡକୁ ନେବାକୁ ପକ୍ଷୀମାନେ ଝପଟି ପଡ଼ନ୍ତି, ସେପରି ଲୋକେ ବିଧବା ନାରୀକୁ ବଶ କରିବାକୁ ଚାହାନ୍ତି; ଏମିତି ଦୁଷ୍ଟ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନାର ଚାପରେ ମୋର ଦୃଢ଼ତା ଡଗମଗି ପାରେ।

Word by Word

साshe (I, the woman)

अहम्I

विचाल्यमानाbeing shaken/led astray

वैindeed

प्रार्थ्यमानाbeing entreated/solicited

दुरात्मभिःby wicked men

स्थातुम्to stand/remain

पथिon the path

नnot

शक्ष्यामिI will be able

सज्जन-इष्टेon the path desired by the good

द्विजोत्तमO best of the twice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (dvijottama, addressed)

द

दुरात्मानः (wicked men, generic)

व

विधवा स्त्री (widowed woman, implied by context)

प

पक्षी (birds, simile)

म

मांसखण्ड (piece of meat, simile)

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 warns that persistent coercion and immoral solicitation can destabilize even a sincere person’s commitment to dharma; therefore society must restrain the wicked and protect the vulnerable, while the individual must seek conditions that support steadfastness in righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman speaker (contextually a widow) addresses a brahmin, describing how evil-minded men repeatedly pursue and pressure her, likening their predatory attention to birds diving for meat, and expressing fear that such relentless harassment may make her unable to remain firm on the virtuous path.