All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

आकुञ्चितैकजङ्घं दरावृतोर्ध्वोरु गोपितार्धोरु।
सुतनोः श्वसितक्रमनमदृ- उदरस्फुटनाभि शयनमिदम्॥

One thigh raised and covered, with visible swelling navel and trembling breath, she lies—depicted with erotic grace and divine allure.

feminine grace (48) beauty (1797) breath (43) desire (898) posture (17) eroticism (60) navel (12) art (73) emotion (652) divinity (206)

आकुञ्चितोरू द्वौ यत्र जानुभ्यां धरणिं गतौ।
दर्दुरक्रममित्याहुः स्थानकं दृढभेदने॥

The pose where both thighs are bent and knees touch the ground is known as the frog-stance—used for firm splitting postures.

dance (75) stance (2) posture (17) frog (7) motion (33) expression (146) flexibility (7) movement (82) tradition (283) symbolism (947)

आकुञ्च्य पाणिमशुचिं मम मूर्ध्नि वेश्या
मन्त्राम्भसां प्रतिपदं पृषतैः पवित्रे।
तारस्वनं प्रथितथूत्कमदात् प्रहारं
हाहा हतोऽहमिति रोदिति विष्णुशर्मा॥

A courtesan, cupping her unclean hand and sprinkling impure water over my head, beats me as I lament—O Vishnusharma, what fate is this?

degradation (19) humiliation (8) drama (36) lamentation (5) fate (402) sorrow (325) social status (7) repentance (16) irony (348) rebuke (12)

आकुञ्च्याग्रं नखविलिखने पश्यति भ्रूविभङ्ग्या
गाढाश्लेषे वदति च ह हा मुञ्च मुञ्चेति वाचम्।
केशाकृष्टावरुणनयना ताडने साश्रुनेत्रा
नानाभावं श्रयति तरुणी नाटके मन्मथस्य॥

A young woman in a play of passion scratches, glares, pleads, weeps, and strikes—all portraying love’s dramatic expressions in Manmatha’s theatre.

emotion (652) passion (501) drama (36) romance (506) feminine beauty (26) play (46) love (1567) conflict (90) expression (146) mood (10)

आकुब्जीकृतपृष्ठमुन्नतवलद्वक्त्राग्रपुच्छं भयाद्
अन्तर्वेश्मनिवेशितैकनयनं निष्कम्पकर्णद्वयम्।
लालाकीर्णविदीर्णसृक्कविकचद्दंष्ट्राकरालाननः
श्वा निःश्वासनिरोधपीवरगलो मार्जारमास्कन्दति॥

The dog, with arched back and gaping jaws, silently sneaks up on the cat, revealing a primal scene of predator and prey, dramatized in intense detail.

predator (5) fear (252) dog (22) cat (2) animal instinct (1) danger (229) survival (91) behavior (249) observation (90) metaphor (1632)

आकुमारमुपदेष्टुमिच्छवः संनिवृत्तिमपथान्महापदः।
योगशक्तिजितजन्ममृत्यवः शीलयन्ति यतयः सुशीलताम्॥

The noble ascetics, having conquered birth and death through the power of yoga, strive to cultivate virtue and refinement, desiring to teach even from...

asceticism (87) yoga (85) renunciation (267) birth and death (1) virtue (726) wisdom (1611) refinement (55) spiritual training (1) childhood guidance (1) liberation (230)

आकुलश्चलपतत्रिकुलानाम् आरवैरनुदितौषसरागः।
आययावहरिदश्वविपाण्डुस् तुल्यतां दिनमुखेन दिनान्तः॥

The restless flocks of birds scatter with loud cries as the bright yellow sun, likened to Arjuna’s chariot with white horses, emerges, bringing balanc...

sunrise (51) birds (57) dawn (69) restlessness (43) nature metaphor (10) arjuna (34) white horses (1) equilibrium (5) celestial imagery (16) poetic time (3)

आकृतिप्रेमसरसा विलासालसगामिनी।
विसारे हन्त संसारे सारं सारङ्गलोचना॥

Her graceful, playful, lazily flowing form, filled with the juice of aesthetic love, reveals the essence in this world—she of the deer-like eyes is th...

beauty (1797) femininity (225) grace (359) aesthetic love (1) deer eyes (4) essence (70) elegance (171) metaphor (1632) emotional richness (1) poetic praise (20)

आकृतेः किंचिदुल्लेखो विभावयति लक्षणम्।
महतोपप्लवेनेव पीडितं चन्द्रमण्डलम्॥

A mere mark or expression can hint at the essence of form, just as the moon’s disc appears disturbed under the pressure of a great storm.

symbolism (947) subtlety (175) aesthetics (180) expression (146) beauty (1797) storm metaphor (1) moon (394) poetic imagery (180) interpretation (11) essence (70)

आकृष्टः शिखया नखैर्विलिखितः स्पृष्टः कपोलस्थले
मौलौ दामभिराहतः प्रतिदिशं क्रामन् सलीलं पथि।
इत्थं वारविलासिनीकृतपरीहासस्य दैत्याध्वरे
विष्णोर्वामनवेषविभ्रमभृतो हासोर्मयः पान्तु वः॥

This shloka humorously portrays Vishnu in his Vamana form being pulled, scratched, and bound by charming maidens during a sacrifice, showing divine pl...

vishnu (122) vamana (9) divine play (96) sacrifice (146) humor (128) playfulness (86) sacred parody (1) humility (596) devotion (933) mythology (86)