Shloka 9

Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

राजपुत्र्या: प्रकृत्या च कुमार्यास्तव भामिनि । भद्रे दोषा हि विद्यन्ते बहवो वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

rājaputryāḥ prakṛtyā ca kumāryās tava bhāmini | bhadre doṣā hi vidyante bahavo varavarṇini ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi người đàn bà nồng nhiệt, ngay trong bản tính của nàng—vừa là công chúa, vừa là thiếu nữ chưa xuất giá—quả thật có nhiều điều khiếm khuyết, hỡi người cát tường, sắc diện tuyệt mỹ.”

Word by Word

राजपुत्र्याःof a king’s daughter / princess

प्रकृत्याby nature

चand

कुमार्याःof a maiden / young girl

तवof you / your

भामिनिO passionate/angry lady

भद्रेO auspicious/gentle one

दोषाःfaults, defects

हिindeed, for

विद्यन्तेare found / exist

बहवःmany

वरवर्णिनिO fair-complexioned one / O lovely-hued lady

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a moral admonition: Bhīṣma criticizes the addressee’s disposition by appealing to perceived social expectations of a princess and an unmarried maiden, implying that certain behaviors are considered blameworthy within that ethical-social framework.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is speaking directly to a woman, addressing her with contrasting epithets (bhāmini, bhadre, varavarṇini) while rebuking her character, stating that many faults are found in her nature as a royal daughter and as a maiden.