Mahabharata 9.46.32 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 46, Shloka 32

Varuṇābhiṣeka–Agni-anveṣaṇa–Kaubera-tīrtha

Varuṇa’s Consecration; Search for Agni; Kaubera Sacred Site

Devanagari script

सबला मधुराश्चैव यौवनस्था: स्वलंकृता: । माहात्म्येन च संयुक्ता: कामरूपधरास्तथा

Transliteration

sabalā madhurāś caiva yauvanasthāḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ | māhātmyena ca saṃyuktāḥ kāmarūpadharās tathā, bharatanandana |

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—భరతనందనా! వారు నానావర్ణములైన, మనోహరమైన, యౌవనసంపన్నులై తమ తమ ఆభరణములతో అలంకృతులై ఉన్నారు. అసాధారణ శక్తి మహిమలతో యుక్తులై, తమకు నచ్చినట్లు ఏ రూపమైనా ధరించగలవారు.

Word by Word

• सबला: strong, powerful
• सबला: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सबल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• मधुराः: sweet; lovely
• मधुराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• यौवनस्थाः: being in youth; youthful
• यौवनस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौवनस्थ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वलंकृताः: well-adorned
• स्वलंकृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वलंकृत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• माहात्म्येन: with greatness; by majesty
• माहात्म्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• संयुक्ताः: endowed; joined (with)
• संयुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयुक्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• कामरूपधराः: those who assume forms at will
• कामरूपधराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामरूपधर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: thus; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• भरतनन्दन: O delight of Bharata (O descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• bharatanandana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s ethical caution about appearances: beauty, youth, and adornment can accompany extraordinary powers, so discernment is needed rather than being led by outward charm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a group of beings (women/figures) as beautiful, youthful, ornamented, and possessed of great power, emphasizing their ability to change form at will, while addressing the listener as ‘bharatanandana’.