Shloka 9

कुन्तीनिवर्तनप्रयत्नः तथा वननिवासप्रारम्भः

Attempt to Dissuade Kuntī; Commencement of Forest Residence

Devanagari script

इयं पुनः पद्मदलायताक्षी मध्यं वय: किंचिदिव स्पृशन्ती । नीलोत्पलाभा सुरदेवतेव कृष्णा स्थिता मूर्तिमतीव लक्ष्मी:

Transliteration

iyaṃ punaḥ padma-dalāyatākṣī madhyaṃ vayaḥ kiñcid iva spṛśantī | nīlotpalābhā sura-devateva kṛṣṇā sthitā mūrtimatīva lakṣmīḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఈ స్త్రీ మళ్లీ పద్మదళంలాంటి విశాల నేత్రాలతో, యౌవన మధ్యాన్ని కాస్త మాత్రమే తాకినట్టుగా కనిపిస్తోంది. నీలోత్పలంలాంటి శ్యామకాంతితో, దేవతల దేవతలా ప్రకాశిస్తోంది; కృష్ణా అక్కడ నిలిచింది—లక్ష్మీదేవి స్వయంగా దేహధారిణిగా వచ్చినట్టుగా.

Word by Word

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पद्मदलायताक्षी: she whose eyes are long like lotus-petals
• पद्मदलायताक्षी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मदलायताक्षी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मध्यम्: the middle (stage)
• मध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वयः: age / youth
• वयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• किञ्चित्: a little / somewhat
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• इव: as if / like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• स्पृशन्ती: touching / reaching
• स्पृशन्ती: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नीलोत्पलाभा: having the hue of a blue lotus
• नीलोत्पलाभा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलोत्पलाभा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सुरदेवता: goddess of the gods
• सुरदेवता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरदेवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if / like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• कृष्णा: Krishnaa (Draupadi)
• कृष्णा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थिता: standing / situated
• स्थिता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मूर्तिमती: embodied / having form
• मूर्तिमती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्तिमत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if / like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakshmi
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
• Lakṣmī
• Sura-devatā (a supreme goddess; epithet-like comparison)
• Padma (lotus)
• Nīlotpala (blue lotus/water-lily)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the imagery of Lakṣmī and lotus-like beauty to signal auspiciousness joined to dignity. In the Ashramavāsika setting—where loss and withdrawal from power dominate—it subtly teaches that true ‘śrī’ (splendor/fortune) is not mere luxury but a moral radiance that should accompany dharma and steadfast character.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) in elevated poetic terms—her eyes, complexion, and presence—presenting her as goddess-like and Lakṣmī embodied. The description functions to highlight her stature and the reverence she commands within the unfolding events of the parva.