All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

एषा धर्मपताकिनी तटसुधासेवावसन्नाकिनी
शुष्यत्पातकिनी भगीरथतपःसाफल्यहेवाकिनी।
प्रेमारूढपिनाकिनी गिरिसुतास्याकेकरालोकिनी
पापाडम्बरडाकिनी त्रिभुवनानन्दाय मन्दाकिनी॥

The celestial river Ganga is described as sacred, exhausted, yet still a refuge for sinners. Her presence is a blessing in the worlds—flowing both div...

ganga (83) sacred (66) river (88) penance (43) refuge (45) purification (85) mythology (86) divine (346) salvation (44) forgiveness (114)

एषा पुष्करिणी मराल मलिनैश् छन्ना कुवीथीजलैर्
यस्यामज्ञतया विधेरकृपया चेद् वस्तुमाकाङ्क्षसे।
विश्रम्भो बकमण्डलेषु विनयो भेकेषु संबन्धिता रात्र्यन्धेषु
विधीयतां कृपणता कोयष्टिकश्रेणिषु॥

The lake, veiled with dirt and filled with ignorant lotuses and frogs, warns—do not trust what appears serene. Be wary of impurity hiding under beauty...

lake (16) deception (224) frogs (5) beauty (1797) warning (153) illusion (355) purity (356) appearance (60) metaphor (1632) reflection (267)

एषा प्रवासं कथमप्यतीत्य याता पुनः संशयमन्यथैव।
को नाम पाकाभिमुखस्य जन्तोर् द्वाराणि
दैवस्य पिधातुमीष्टे॥

Somehow returning from exile, she brings uncertainty. Who can stop fate once it begins to unfold? No doors shut it out. A philosophical take on inevit...

exile (20) fate (402) return (22) inevitability (39) uncertainty (21) karma (500) destiny (289) mystery (83) emotion (652) resolve (40)

एषा फुल्लकदम्बनीपसुरभौ काले घनोद्भासिते
कान्तस्यालयमागता समदना हृष्टा जलार्द्रालका।
विद्युद्वारिदगर्जितैः सचकिता त्वद्दर्शनाकाङ्क्षिणी पादौ
नूपुरलग्नकर्दमधरौ प्रक्षालयन्ती स्थिता॥

In monsoon fragrance, she arrives at her beloved's door, hair wet, anklets muddy. Awaiting him, she stands shy, washing her feet—longing embodied in a...

longing (690) monsoon (51) arrival (16) love (1567) fragrance (199) shyness (81) devotion (933) nature (950) beauty (1797) poetic pause (1)

एषा भविष्यति विनिद्रसरोरुहाक्षी
कामस्य कापि दयिता तनुजानुजा वा।
यः पश्यति क्षणमिमां कथमन्यथासौ कामस्
तमस्तकरुणस् तरुणं हिनस्ति॥

Kamadeva spares no one—not even the young who merely glimpse such beauty. The beloved’s glance itself is a fatal blow. Even gods aren't immune to love...

kamadeva (27) love (1567) beauty (1797) eyes (211) seduction (89) poetry (588) power (396) youth (261) danger (229) desire (898)

एषा मनो मे प्रसभं शरीरात्
पितुः पदं मध्यममुत्पतन्ती।
सुराङ्गना कर्षति खण्डिताग्रात्
सूत्रं मृणालादिव राजहंसी॥

My mind violently leaps from the body toward my father’s abode, pulled like a broken thread by a celestial nymph, as a swan tugs a lotus fiber. This i...

mind (176) grief (129) soul (76) leap (3) celestial (62) father (19) longing (690) swan (53) detachment (573) emotion (652) poetry (588)

एषा रङ्गप्रवेशेन कलानां चैव शिक्षया।
स्वरान्तरेण दक्षा हि व्याहर्तुं तन्न मुच्यताम्॥

This woman is adept at all arts—her stage entry, refined education, and nuanced modulation of tone prove her mastery. To speak against her would be un...

performance (13) talent (20) speech (345) arts (14) woman (157) mastery (34) tone (8) eloquence (61) drama (36) recognition (52)

एषा लता यदि विलासवती कथं स्याद्
विद्युल्लता यदि कथं भविता धरण्याम्।
वस्तुं मनोजनृपतेर्नगरी गरीयो-
वक्षोजदुर्गविषमा किमकारि धात्रा॥

If she is a mere creeper, how is she so enchanting? If she’s lightning, why bound to earth? What architect created such a dangerously alluring, fortre...

beauty (1797) metaphor (1632) seduction (89) lightning (40) earth (56) body (170) nature (950) divine creation (16) allure (96) questioning (27)

एषा व्रजन्ती ललितं स्मयन्ती
सखीजनैः सार्धमतिप्रगल्भा।
सुरीव नित्यं सुरतासुखाप्ता
विभाति भूमीधरपाठकस्त्री॥

She walks gracefully, proud and smiling among friends—like a goddess accustomed to pleasure, yet she is merely a scholarly man’s wife. Irony intertwin...

woman (157) pride (317) movement (82) irony (348) goddess (297) wife (44) grace (359) social roles (5) dignity (146) duality (134)

एषा सा विन्ध्यमध्यस्थलविपुलशिलोत्सङ्गरङ्गत्तरङ्गा
संभोगश्रान्ततीराश्रयशबरवधूशर्म दा नर्मदा च।
यस्याः सान्द्रद्रुमालीललिततलमिलत्सुन्दरीसंनिरुद्धैः सिद्धैः
सेव्यन्त एते मृगमृदितदलत्कन्दलाः कूलकच्छाः॥

She is Narmada, the river of joy—rippling through Vindhya’s stony embrace, a consort to wild tribes and sages alike. Her shores, shaded by playful tre...

narmada (5) river (88) vindhya (8) divinity (206) nature (950) beauty (1797) sages (66) joy (342) tribal life (2) sacred geography (2)