Shloka 21
आदि पर्व — खाण्डवदाह प्रसङ्गः: पावकस्य याचनं तथा इन्द्रवर्षनिवारणोपायः
Adi Parva — Khāṇḍava episode: Agni’s request and the means to resist Indra’s rain
यौगपद्येन तं विप्रमभ्यगच्छाम भारत । गायन्त्यो5थ हसन्त्यश्न लोभयित्वा च त॑ द्विजम्,भारत! मैं, सौरभेयी, समीची, बुदबुदा और लता--पाँचों एक ही साथ उन ब्राह्मणके समीप गयीं और उन्हें लुभाती हुई हँसने तथा गाने लगीं
yaugapadyena taṃ vipram abhyagacchāma bhārata | gāyantyo 'tha hasantyaś ca lobhayitvā ca taṃ dvijam ||
ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า “โอ้ภารตะ พวกเราทั้งหมดไปถึงพราหมณ์ผู้นั้นพร้อมกันในคราเดียว แล้วจึงขับร้องและหัวเราะ พยายามยั่วยวนทวิชผู้นั้น”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension central to dharma-literature: attempts to lure a brāhmaṇa through entertainment and allure test self-restraint (saṃyama) and integrity. It implicitly foregrounds the value placed on disciplined conduct and the dangers of manipulation through pleasure.
A group of women (implied by the feminine plural participles ‘singing’ and ‘laughing’) approach a brāhmaṇa together and try to entice him by singing and laughter, setting up a situation of temptation and moral testing.