Shloka 28

ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरे क्रीडन्तो5प्सरसां गणा:

tato mandākinītīre krīḍanto 'psarasāṃ gaṇāḥ

แล้ว ณ ฝั่งแม่น้ำมันฑากินี หมู่อัปสราทั้งหลายกำลังเริงเล่น—ภาพแห่งความสำราญและความงามทิพย์อันชวนใจหลงใหล

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable)
मन्दाकिनी-तीरेon the bank of (the river) Mandākinī
मन्दाकिनी-तीरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootतीर (प्रातिपदिक); मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
क्रीडन्तःplaying, sporting
क्रीडन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootक्रीड् (धातु)
Formवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
अप्सरसाम्of the Apsarases (celestial nymphs)
अप्सरसाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
गणाःgroups, troops
गणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
M
Mandākinī
A
Apsaras

Educational Q&A

The verse evokes the presence of celestial pleasures (Apsarases at play) to highlight how attractive experiences can arise before a seeker; in a dharma-oriented context, it implicitly cautions that fascination with enjoyment can distract from steadiness, restraint, and higher aims.

Bhīṣma describes a scene by the Mandākinī river where groups of Apsarases are playing, setting a vivid backdrop that often functions in epic narration as an atmosphere of enchantment or a potential test of self-control.