Shloka 15
Duryodhana’s Envy at Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya and the Avabhṛtha Festival
तैलगोरसगन्धोदहरिद्रासान्द्रकुङ्कुमै: । पुम्भिर्लिप्ता: प्रलिम्पन्त्यो विजह्रुर्वारयोषित: ॥ १५ ॥
taila-gorasa-gandhoda- haridrā-sāndra-kuṅkumaiḥ pumbhir liptāḥ pralimpantyo vijahrur vāra-yoṣitaḥ
เหล่าชายได้ทาเหล่านางคณิกาด้วยน้ำมันมากมาย โยเกิร์ต น้ำหอม ขมิ้น และผงกุมกุมเข้มข้น; และนางคณิกาก็เล่นสนุกทาชายด้วยสิ่งเดียวกัน
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this scene as follows: “The men and women of Indraprastha, their bodies smeared with scents and floral oils, were nicely dressed in colorful garments and decorated with garlands, jewels and ornaments. They were all enjoying the ceremony, and they threw on each other liquid substances like water, oil, milk, butter and yogurt. Some even smeared these on each other’s bodies. In this way, they were enjoying the occasion. The professional prostitutes were also engaged by jubilantly smearing these liquid substances on the bodies of the men, and the men reciprocated in the same way. All the liquid substances had been mixed with turmeric and saffron, and their color was a lustrous yellow.”
FAQs
This verse depicts joyful celebration—royal women playfully anointing one another with oils, fragrant pastes, turmeric, and vermilion, indicating a grand festival mood surrounding the Rajasuya events.
Shukadeva Gosvami narrates these scenes to King Parikshit as part of the Rajasuya sacrifice account in Canto 10.
It reminds devotees that bhakti includes sanctified joy—celebrating sacred occasions with purity, gratitude, and community spirit, not only austerity.