Shloka 21

चित्रसेन-समागमः / The Engagement with Citrasena and the Gandharvas

Devanagari script

दुर्व्याह्वताच्छड्कमाना दुःस्थितादू दुरवेक्षितात्‌ । दुरासिताद्‌ दुर्वजितादिद्धिताध्यासितादपि,“कभी मेरे मुखसे कोई बुरी बात न निकल जाय, इसकी आशंकासे सदा सावधान रहती हूँ। असभ्यकी भाँति कहीं खड़ी नहीं होती। निर्लज्जकी तरह सब ओर दृष्टि नहीं डालती। बुरी जगहपर नहीं बैठती। दुराचारसे बचती तथा चलने-फिरनेमें भी असभ्यता न हो जाय, इसके लिये सतत सावधान रहती हूँ। पतियोंके अभिप्रायपूर्ण संकेतका सदैव अनुसरण करती हूँ

Transliteration

durvyāhṛtāc chaṅkamānā duḥsthitād duravekṣitāt | durāsitād durvajitād iddhitādhyāsitād api ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说：“惟恐口中失言，吐出恶语，我恒常警醒。我不以粗鄙之态伫立；不以无耻之目四顾。不得其所处，我不坐；诸般失德之行，我皆远离；即便行走起居，我亦谨慎，唯恐失礼。我常随诸位夫君含义深长的示意与心意而行。”

Word by Word

दुर्badly, improperly

व्याह्वतात्from improper calling/addressing

छड्कमानाavoiding/guarding against (reading uncertain)

दुःbadly, with difficulty

स्थितात्from improper standing/position

दुर्badly, improperly

अवेक्षितात्from improper looking/gazing

दुर्badly, improperly

आसितात्from improper sitting

दुर्badly, improperly

वजितात्from improper conduct/avoidance (reading uncertain)

इद्धितfrom being kindled/raised (reading uncertain in context)

अध्यासितात्from improper occupying/sitting upon

अपिalso, even

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

husbands (pati)

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 emphasizes vigilant self-discipline: guarding one’s speech, posture, gaze, seating, and movement so that one’s outward behavior aligns with propriety (sadācāra) and does not slip into indecorum.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a woman (contextually, a wife speaking of her conduct) describes her careful observance of decorum—avoiding improper speech and behavior—and her attentiveness to the intentions and signals of her husbands.