Shloka 20

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 98 — Paraśurāma’s kṣatriya suppression; Dīrghatamas, Bali, Sudēṣṇā, and the birth of Aṅga

Devanagari script

पुण्यकर्मकृदेवासीच्छान्तनु: कुरुसत्तम: । प्रतीप: शान्तनु पुत्रं यौवनस्थं ततो5न्वशात्‌,अपने सत्कर्मोद्वारा उपार्जित अक्षय पुण्यलोकोंका स्मरण करके कुरुश्रेष्ठ शान्तनु सदा पुण्यकर्मोंके अनुष्ठानमें ही लगे रहते थे। युवावस्थामें पहुँचे हुए राजकुमार शान्तनुको राजा प्रतीपने आदेश दिया--

Transliteration

puṇyakarmakṛd evāsīc chāntanuḥ kurusattamaḥ | pratīpaḥ śāntanu-putraṃ yauvanasthaṃ tato 'nvaśāt ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়নে ক’লে—কুৰুশ্ৰেষ্ঠ শান্তনু নিশ্চয় পুণ্যকৰ্মকাৰী আছিল; তেওঁ সদা ধৰ্মাচৰণত নিবিষ্ট হৈ সৎকৰ্মে অৰ্জিত অক্ষয় ফলৰ স্মৰণ কৰি থাকিছিল। তাৰ পাছত ৰজা প্ৰতীপে যৌৱনপ্ৰাপ্ত পুত্ৰ শান্তনুক উপদেশ দিলে আৰু তেওঁক ৰাজধৰ্ম আৰু শৃঙ্খলাবদ্ধ সদাচাৰৰ পথত নিযুক্ত কৰিলে।

Word by Word

• {'puṇya': 'merit

• religious/ethical virtue producing auspicious results', 'karma': 'action

• ritual and moral conduct', 'puṇyakarmakṛt': 'one who performs meritorious deeds', 'āsīt': 'was', 'śāntanuḥ': 'Śāntanu (Kuru king, son of Pratīpa)', 'kurusattamaḥ': 'best among the Kurus

• an epithet of excellence', 'pratīpaḥ': 'Pratīpa (Kuru king, father of Śāntanu)', 'putram': 'son (accusative)', 'yauvanastham': 'standing in youth

• having reached young adulthood', 'tataḥ': 'then

• thereafter', 'anvaśāt': 'commanded

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śāntanu
• Pratīpa
• Kuru (dynasty)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of a ruler: sustained commitment to puṇya (meritorious, dharmic action) and the transmission of disciplined conduct through parental/royal instruction, implying that kingship is grounded in moral practice rather than mere power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Śāntanu as a consistently virtuous Kuru prince/king, and then notes that King Pratīpa, seeing Śāntanu come of age, issues him an instruction—marking a transition into adult responsibilities and royal duty.