Shloka 5

आह्वानमन्त्रप्रयोगः — Kuntī’s Invocations and the Birth-Portents of the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

तस्य वीरस्य विक्रान्तै: सहस्रशतदक्षिणै: । अश्वमेधशतैरीजे धृतराष्ट्री महामखै:,वीरवर पाण्डुके पराक्रमसे धृतराष्ट्रने बड़े-बड़े सौ अश्वमेध यज्ञ किये तथा प्रत्येक यज्ञमें एक-एक लाख स्वर्णमुद्राओंकी दक्षिणा दी

Transliteration

tasya vīrasya vikrāntaiḥ sahasraśatadakṣiṇaiḥ | aśvamedhaśatair īje dhṛtarāṣṭrī mahāmakhaiḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: إنّ ذلك الملك البطل، المشهور ببأسه، أقام مئةً من قرابين الأشفاميدها—وهي شعائر عظمى مقرونة بعطايا فاخرة—ومنح الدكشِنا بمقادير تبلغ المئات والآلاف. وهكذا أظهر dharma الملك بما بذله للناس علنًا وبما نهض به من نذورٍ قربانية جليلة على وجه الوقار.

Word by Word

तस्यof him

वीरस्यof the hero

विक्रान्तैःwith valiant (means/assistants)

सहस्रशतदक्षिणैःhaving fees (dakṣiṇā) of thousands and hundreds

अश्वमेधशतैःby hundreds of Aśvamedha (sacrifices)

ईजेhe performed sacrifice / worshipped

धृतराष्ट्रीwith Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (name/epithet)

महामखैःwith great sacrifices

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice)

dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts/fees)

Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (epithet/name as it appears in the verse)

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 highlights a model of royal dharma: a king demonstrates legitimacy and responsibility through solemn public rites and, crucially, through generous dakṣiṇā. Ethical emphasis falls on largesse, honoring ritual obligations, and using power to sustain social-religious order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a heroic ruler performing a large series of Aśvamedha sacrifices—one hundred—each accompanied by substantial gifts to the priests. The narration underscores the king’s prowess and prosperity expressed through grand sacrificial patronage.