Shloka 5
रम्भा
प्रलोभनम् — Rambhā’s Temptation and Viśvāmitra’s Curse
माभैषी रम्भे भद्रं ते कुरुष्व मम शासनम्।।1.64.5।।कोकिलो हृदयग्राही माधवे रुचिरद्रुमे।अहं कन्दर्पसहित स्स्थास्यामि तव पार्श्वत:।।1.64.6।।
mābhaiṣī rambhe bhadraṃ te kuruṣva mama śāsanam || 1.64.5 ||
kokilo hṛdayagrāhī mādhave ruciradrume |
ahaṃ kandarpasahitaḥ sthāsyāmi tava pārśvataḥ || 1.64.6 ||
ਇੰਦਰ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ: “ਰੰਭੇ, ਡਰ ਨਾ; ਤੇਰਾ ਭਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ। ਮੇਰਾ ਹੁਕਮ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰ। ਬਸੰਤ ਦੇ ਮਾਧਵ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੁਹਣੇ ਦਰੱਖ਼ਤਾਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ, ਮੈਂ ਕੋਇਲ ਦਾ ਮਨ ਮੋਹਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਰੂਪ ਧਾਰ ਕੇ, ਕੰਦರ್ಪ (ਕਾਮਦੇਵ) ਸਮੇਤ ਤੇਰੇ ਪਾਸ ਹੀ ਰਹਾਂਗਾ।”
O Rama! having heard Rambha trembling in fear and standing with folded palms, Indra spoke:
FAQs
It implicitly contrasts dharma as self-mastery (tapas) with the deliberate manufacture of temptation; the scene teaches how powerful desires can be orchestrated and why vigilance is central to righteous discipline.
Indra reassures Rambhā and outlines a plan: he will support her by appearing as a cuckoo in spring, with Cupid, to help distract Viśvāmitra.
From Indra’s side, decisive leadership and reassurance to an anxious agent; from the ethical lens of the epic, the opposing virtue highlighted by contrast is the ascetic’s needed steadfastness.