Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 25

Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)

Devanagari script

आत्मप्रदानवर्षेण संगमाम्भोधरेण च । शमयस्व वरारोहे ज्वलन्तं मन्मथानलम्‌

Transliteration

ātmapradānavarṣeṇa saṅgamāmbhodhareṇa ca | śamayāsva varārohe jvalantaṁ manmathānalam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi giai nhân hông thon, xin lấy cơn mưa của sự hiến dâng và đám mây của cuộc tương phùng mà làm dịu, dập tắt ngọn lửa Manmatha (Kāma) đang bừng cháy trong ta.”

Word by Word

• आत्मप्रदानवर्षेण: by the rain of self-surrender
• आत्मप्रदानवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मप्रदानवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संगमाम्भोधरेण: by the cloud of union
• संगमाम्भोधरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगमाम्भोधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• शमयस्व: pacify; extinguish
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Ātmanepada

• वरारोहे: O fair-hipped one
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरारोहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्मथानलम्: the fire of love (Kāma)
• मन्मथानलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्मथानल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Manmatha (Kāma)
• varārohā (addressed woman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a vivid ethical-psychological metaphor: intense desire is likened to a consuming fire, and it is sought to be calmed by ‘rain’—here framed as self-giving and union. It highlights how passion is experienced as overpowering and how the speaker seeks relief through intimacy rather than restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker addresses a woman with affectionate honorifics, urging her to pacify his burning passion. The imagery of cloud and rain conveys a plea for closeness that will cool the ‘fire of Kāma’.