Shloka 19
Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)
निरीक्ष्य वक्त्रचन्द्रं ते लक्ष्म्मानुपमया युतम् । कृत्स्ने जगति को नेह कामस्य वशगो भवेत्
nirīkṣya vaktracandraṃ te lakṣmyānupamayā yutam | kṛtsne jagati ko neha kāmasya vaśago bhavet ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Sa pagtanaw sa iyong mukhang tulad ng buwan, na pinalamutian ng kagandahan at kapalarang walang kapantay, sino sa buong daigdig ang hindi mapapasailalim sa paghahari ng pagnanasa? Ang iyong mukha, nagliliwanag sa banal na ningning, ay nagpapasaya sa isip; pag nakita ito, aling lalaki ang mananatiling malaya sa kapangyarihan ni Kāma?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overpowering pull of sensual desire when confronted with striking beauty, implicitly pointing to the ethical need for restraint (dama) and vigilance so that attraction does not override dharma and right conduct.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker praises someone’s extraordinary beauty—describing a moon-like face endowed with incomparable splendor—and remarks that such a sight would naturally place men under the influence of Kāma (desire).