Shloka 14

Nāvyāśrama-nirmāṇa and Ṛśyaśṛṅga’s Distraction (नाव्याश्रमनिर्माणम्—ऋश्यशृङ्गस्य विचलनम्)

Devanagari script

लोगश उवाच सा तानि सर्वाणि विवर्जयित्वा भक्ष्याण्यनहाणि ददौ ततो<स्य । तान्यृष्यशुड्रस्य महारसानि भृशं सुरूपाणि रुचिं ददुर्हि,लोमशजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! तदनन्तर वेश्याने उन सब फलोंको छोड़कर स्वयं ऋष्यशूंगको अत्यन्त सुन्दर और अमूल्य भक्ष्य पदार्थ (फल आदि) दिये। उन परम सरस फलोंने उनकी रुचिको बढ़ाया

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca—sā tāni sarvāṇi vivarjayitvā bhakṣyāṇy anarghāṇi dadau tato 'sya | tāny ṛṣyaśṛṅgasya mahārasāni bhṛśaṃ surūpāṇi ruciṃ dadur hi ||

Translation

Ломаша сказал: «О царь, затем она отложила все те плоды и поднесла ему изысканные, бесценные яства. Те плоды, необычайно вкусные и дивно прекрасные, усладили Ришьяшрингу и усилили его вкус и влечение.»

Word by Word

• {'Lomaśa uvāca': 'Lomaśa said', 'sā': 'she (the courtesan/woman sent to entice)', 'tāni sarvāṇi': 'all those (items/fruits mentioned earlier)', 'vivarjayitvā': 'having set aside, having excluded', 'bhakṣyāṇi': 'edibles, foods to be eaten', 'anarghāṇi': 'priceless, of inestimable value', 'dadau': 'gave, offered', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'asya': 'to him (of him)', 'ṛṣyaśṛṅgasya': 'of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga (the sage)', 'mahārasāni': 'very juicy/tasty, of great flavor', 'bhṛśam': 'exceedingly, greatly', 'surūpāṇi': 'beautiful in form, attractive', 'rucim': 'taste, liking, appetite

• also inclination', 'daduḥ': 'they gave/produced', 'hi': 'indeed, surely'}

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Ṛṣyaśṛṅga
• the courtesan/woman (unnamed here)
• fruits/edibles (bhakṣyāṇi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how refined sense-objects—presented attractively and as ‘priceless’—can intensify desire even in an ascetic. Ethically, it cautions that temptation often works through incremental, appealing offerings rather than overt coercion.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Lomaśa’s narration, a woman sent to entice Ṛṣyaśṛṅga discards ordinary fruits and offers him especially attractive, delicious, valuable foods. Their taste and beauty increase his appetite and inclination, advancing the seduction plot.