Shloka 12
धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Sañjaya on Arjuna’s Indraloka report and the political consequences
गूढगुल्फधरौ पादौ ताम्रायततलाड्गुली । कूर्मपृष्ठोत्नती चापि शोभेते किड॒किणीकिणौ,उसके दोनों चरणोंके गुल्फ (टखने) मांससे छिपे हुए थे। उसके विस्तृत तलवे और अँगुलियाँ लाल रंगकी थीं। वे दोनों पैर कछुएकी पीठके समान ऊँचे होनेके साथ ही घुँघुरुओंके चिह्लसे सुशोभित थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
gūḍhagulphadharau pādau tāmrāyatatala-aṅgulī |
kūrmapṛṣṭhonnatī cāpi śobhete kiḍakiṇīkiṇau ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang kaniyang mga paa ay mahusay ang hubog, at ang mga bukung-bukong ay natatago sa kapunuan ng laman. Malapad ang mga talampakan at ang mga daliri’y may bahid na mapulang tila tanso. Nakataas na gaya ng likod ng pagong, ang mga paang iyon ay lalo pang kumikislap sa mga tanda at palamuti ng mga pulseras sa bukung-bukong—larawang mapalad na kagandahan na nagpapahiwatig ng marangal na tindig at pinong asal.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it uses auspicious bodily features and refined ornamentation to indicate noble character and cultivated conduct, suggesting that outer signs in epic narration often function as ethical and social markers of status and virtue.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a woman’s physical features in detail—especially her feet—highlighting their auspicious shape, color, and anklet-adorned beauty as part of a broader portrayal within the Vana Parva narrative.