Shloka 4

Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

जलस्थानैश्व विविधै: पप्मिनीभिश्न शोभितम्‌ | पाण्डोर्वनं तत्‌ सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रजज्ञे हूदि मन्मथ:

Transliteration

jalasthānaiś ca vividhaiḥ padminībhiś ca śobhitam | pāṇḍor vanaṃ tat samprekṣya prajajñe hṛdi manmathaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Được tô điểm bởi nhiều nơi tụ thủy và những hồ sen đầy ắp, khu rừng ấy hiện ra vô cùng duyên dáng. Vua Pāṇḍu vừa trông thấy liền để dục vọng (Kāma) dấy lên trong lòng—cho thấy khi tâm bị kích động bởi khoái lạc giác quan giữa cảnh đẹp, ngay cả người có kỷ luật cũng có thể bị đẩy về phía đam mê và hệ quả của nó.

Word by Word

• जलस्थानैः: by water-reservoirs
• जलस्थानैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पद्मिनीभिः: by lotus-ponds / lotus-bearing waters
• पद्मिनीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मिनी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शोभितम्: adorned, beautified
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पाण्डोः: of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at, after observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• प्रजज्ञे: arose, was produced
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जन् (जनि)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• हृदि: in (the) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मन्मथः: Love (Cupid), desire
• मन्मथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्मथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍu
• vana (forest)
• jalasthāna (water-reservoirs)
• padminī (lotus-ponds)
• Manmatha (Kāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sensory beauty can awaken desire in the heart; ethical vigilance and self-restraint are needed because inner impulses can arise suddenly from external stimuli, shaping later actions and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a forest rich with waters and lotus-ponds. Seeing its enchanting beauty, King Pāṇḍu experiences the stirring of Manmatha (desire) within his heart, setting the emotional tone for the events that follow.