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

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—কুরুদের শ্রেষ্ঠ শান্তনু সত্যই পুণ্যকর্মকারী ছিলেন; তিনি সদা ধর্মাচরণে নিবিষ্ট থাকতেন এবং সৎকর্মে অর্জিত অক্ষয় ফললোক স্মরণ করতেন। তারপর রাজা প্রতীপ যুবাবস্থায় উপনীত পুত্র শান্তনুকে উপদেশ দিলেন, তাকে রাজধর্ম ও শৃঙ্খলিত সদাচারের পথে স্থাপন করলেন।

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.