Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एवं संचिन्तयन्ती सा ददर्शर्तु यदृच्छया । व्रीडिता साभवद्‌ बाला कन्याभावे रजस्वला,इस प्रकार सोच-विचारमें पड़ी हुई कुन्तीने अकस्मात्‌ अपने शरीरमें ऋतुका प्रादुर्भाव हुआ देखा। कन्यावस्थामें ही अपनेको रजस्वला पाकर उस बालिकाने लज्जाका अनुभव किया

Transliteration

evaṁ sañcintayantī sā dadarśa ṛtuṁ yadṛcchayā | vrīḍitā sābhavad bālā kanyābhāve rajasvalā ||

Translation

Enquanto ela assim se perdia em reflexão ansiosa, aconteceu-lhe, inesperadamente, notar o início do seu ciclo mensal. Ao perceber-se menstruada ainda na condição de donzela, a jovem foi tomada pela vergonha—um turbilhão íntimo moldado pelos códigos de pudor e pelo temor do impróprio.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

संचिन्तयन्तीthinking, reflecting

साshe

ददर्शsaw

ऋतुम्the season; (here) menstruation/period

यदृच्छयाby chance, accidentally

व्रीडिताashamed, embarrassed

साshe

अभवत्became, was

बालाthe girl, young maiden

कन्याभावेin the state of maidenhood

रजस्वलाmenstruating

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kuntī

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 the psychological and ethical pressure created by social expectations around chastity and modesty: a natural bodily change becomes a source of fear and shame when framed by concerns of propriety and reputation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī, lost in thought, unexpectedly experiences the onset of menstruation; being still a maiden, she feels embarrassed and distressed, marking a pivotal moment of transition and vulnerability in her story.