Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

न हि रम्यतरं किंचित्‌ तस्मादन्यत्‌ पुरोत्तमम्‌ | प्रासादैरप्सरोभिश्व दिव्यै: कामैश्न शोभितम्‌

Transliteration

na hi ramyataraṁ kiṁcit tasmād anyat purottamam | prāsādair apsarobhiś ca divyaiḥ kāmaiś ca śobhitam ||

Translation

Quả thật, không có thành nào vừa mỹ lệ vừa tối thắng hơn thành ấy. Nơi đó rực rỡ với vô số cung điện, với các apsarā, và với những lạc thú thần diệu.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• रम्यतरम्: more delightful
• रम्यतरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्यतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• किंचित्: anything (at all)
• किंचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचित्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: than that/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: best/excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• प्रासादैः: with palaces
• प्रासादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अप्सरोभिः: with apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कामैः: pleasures/enjoyments
• कामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• शोभितम्: adorned/beautified
• शोभितम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, past passive participle (क्त) from √शुभ्/शोभ् 'to shine/beautify'

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• a supreme city (purottama)
• palaces (prāsāda)
• apsarases (apsaras)
• divine pleasures (divya-kāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the allure of extraordinary prosperity—palaces, apsarases, and divine pleasures—while implicitly inviting reflection that such splendor, however captivating, is not identical with the highest good upheld by dharma; it can be admired, but it should not become the ultimate aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is speaking and praising a supremely beautiful city, declaring that no other city surpasses it, and describing its adornments: magnificent palaces, celestial nymphs, and divine enjoyments.