Shloka 31
Pātivratya-kathana
The Narrative of the Pativrata
सुकुमारोऽपि तन्वंगीं पीनोरुजघनस्तनीम् । मेने वर्षायुतसमामात्मानं च त्रिवत्सरम् ॥ ३१ ॥
sukumāro'pi tanvaṃgīṃ pīnorujaghanastanīm | mene varṣāyutasamāmātmānaṃ ca trivatsaram || 31 ||
அவன் இன்னும் இளமை மென்மையிலிருந்தாலும், மெலிந்த அங்கங்களுடைய—பெருத்த தொடைகள், இடுப்பும் மார்பும் நிறைந்த—அந்தப் பெண்ணை பத்தாயிரம் ஆண்டுகள் வயதுடையவளென எண்ணினான்; தன்னை மட்டும் மூன்று வயதுடையவனென கருதினான்.
Narrator (within the Narada Purana’s Uttara-bhaga narration)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It highlights how desire distorts perception: even a youthful person can project exaggerated maturity onto an attractive object, revealing the mind’s delusion (moha) and the need for self-mastery.
By showing the mind’s tendency to be captivated by sensual appearance, the verse implicitly points to bhakti—steady remembrance of Bhagavan—as a purifying counter-force that redirects attention from sense-objects to the divine.
Vyākaraṇa/semantic precision is relevant: compounds like pīnorujaghanastanīm compress descriptive meaning, showing how Sanskrit structure conveys psychological emphasis; the practical takeaway is careful reading of compounds to grasp narrative intent.