Shloka 79

The Meeting with Puṣkala’s Wife

Devanagari script

कुचौ तु मालूरफलोपमौ वरौ नितंबबिंबं वरनीवि शोभितम् । पादौ तुलाकोटिधरौ सुकोमलौ दधत्यहो एक्षत सत्पतिं स्वकम्

Transliteration

kucau tu mālūraphalopamau varau nitaṃbabiṃbaṃ varanīvi śobhitam | pādau tulākoṭidharau sukomalau dadhatyaho ekṣata satpatiṃ svakam

Translation

ତାହାର ଦୁଇଟି ସୁନ୍ଦର ସ୍ତନ ମାଲୂରଫଳ ସଦୃଶ; ତାହାର ଗୋଳ ନିତମ୍ବ ଉତ୍ତମ କଟିବନ୍ଧନୀରେ ଶୋଭିତ। ତାହାର ପଦଯୁଗଳ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କୋମଳ, ଯେନେ ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ ତୁଳାର ଭାର ଧାରଣ କରୁଛି—ଏଭଳି ସେ ନିଜ ସତ୍ପତିଙ୍କୁ ନିହାରିଲା।

Word by Word

• कुचौ: the two breasts
• कुचौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्तृ), द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; particle (contrast/emphasis)

• मालूरफलोपमौ: comparable to mālūra fruits
• मालूरफलोपमौ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मालूरफल + उपम (प्रातिपदिक); उपम (उपमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (मालूरफलस्य उपमौ)

• वरौ: excellent
• वरौ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• नितंबबिंबम्: the orb/roundness of the buttocks
• नितंबबिंबम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नितम्ब + बिम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नितम्बस्य बिम्बम्)

• वरनीवि: by/with a fine girdle
• वरनीवि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + नीवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारय (वरा नीविः)

• शोभितम्: adorned
• शोभितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभित (शुभ्/शोभ् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तुलाकोटिधरौ: bearing the tips of a balance (i.e., well-proportioned)
• तुलाकोटिधरौ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुला + कोटि + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; तत्पुरुष (तुलायाः कोटिं धरतः)

• सुकोमलौ: very tender
• सुकोमलौ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + कोमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण (सु-कोमल)

• दधति: they bear/possess
• दधति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• अहो: ah!/indeed!
• अहो: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात; exclamation particle

• एक्षत: he looked
• एक्षत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular

• सत्पतिम्: the noble lord/husband
• सत्पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (सतां पतिः)

• स्वकम्: his own
• स्वकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Narratorial description (speaker not explicit from the single verse excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved/normalized: मालूरफलोपमौ = मालूरफल + उपमौ; नितंबबिंबं = नितम्बबिम्बम्; तुलाकोटिधरौ = तुला + कोटि + धरौ. Read दधति (not दधत्य) as sandhi form दधति + अहो; एक्षत taken as लङ् 3sg of ईक्ष्.

FAQs

What is the main theme of this verse in the Pātāla-khaṇḍa context?

It is a kāvya-style physical description (upamā/poetic simile) highlighting feminine beauty and the act of beholding one’s own satpati (noble husband), often used to set the emotional scene within a narrative.

What does “mālūra-phalopamau” imply in Sanskrit poetics?

It is an upamā (simile): the breasts are compared to mālūra fruits to convey fullness and symmetry, a conventional poetic device in classical Sanskrit description.

Is there an ethical or devotional lesson directly stated here?

Not explicitly in this single verse; the ethical coloring is indirect through the term “sat-pati” (virtuous husband), suggesting esteem toward a righteous spouse within the broader narrative.