Shloka 15

Divodāsa–Mādhavī Saṃvāda: Pratardana-janma and Kanyā-niryātana (दिवोदास–माधवी संवादः / प्रतर्दन-जननम् / कन्या-निर्यातनम्)

Devanagari script

इयं कन्या नरश्रेष्ठ हर्यश्व॒ प्रतिगृह्मताम्‌ चतुभगिेन शुल्कस्य जनयस्वैकमात्मजम्‌,“नरश्रेष्ठ हर्यश्व! नियत शुल्कका चौथाई भाग देकर आप इस कन्याको ग्रहण करें और इसके गर्भसे केवल एक पुत्र उत्पन्न कर लें”

Transliteration

iyaṁ kanyā naraśreṣṭha haryaśva pratigṛhṇatām caturbhāgena śulkasya janayasvaikam ātmajam

Translation

قال نارادا: «يا خيرَ الرجال، يا هاريَشْوَ، اقبلْ هذه الفتاة. وبعد أن تدفع رُبعَ الشُّلكا (المَهرَ المُتَّفَقَ عليه)، فَلْتُنجِبْ منها ابنًا واحدًا لا غير.»

Word by Word

इयम्this

कन्याmaiden, girl

नरश्रेष्ठO best of men

हर्यश्वO Haryashva

प्रतिगृह्णताम्let (him/you) accept, please accept

चतुर्भागेनwith a fourth part

शुल्कस्यof the bride-price/fee

जनयस्वbeget, generate (cause to be born)

एकम्one

आत्मजम्son, offspring

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Haryaśva

kanyā (the maiden)

śulka (bride-price)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores regulated conduct in marriage: acceptance of a bride is tied to agreed social obligations (śulka), and procreation is framed with restraint (only one son), reflecting dharmic control over desire and lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses Haryaśva, instructing him to accept a particular maiden under specified terms—paying a quarter of the bride-price and fathering only one son—indicating a negotiated or conditional marital arrangement.