Shloka 5
Divodāsa–Mādhavī Saṃvāda: Pratardana-janma and Kanyā-niryātana (दिवोदास–माधवी संवादः / प्रतर्दन-जननम् / कन्या-निर्यातनम्)
गालव उवाच एकत: श्यामकर्णानां शतान्यष्टौ प्रयच्छ मे । हयानां चन्द्रशु भ्राणां देशजानां वपुष्मताम्
gālava uvāca | ekataḥ śyāmakarṇānāṃ śatāny aṣṭau prayaccha me | hayānāṃ candrasubhrāṇāṃ deśajānāṃ vapuṣmatām ||
গালব বললেন—“রাজন! আমাকে আটশো অশ্ব দান করুন—উত্তম দেশে ও উত্তম বংশে জন্মানো, সবল-সুদৃঢ়, দেহে চন্দ্রসম শুভ্র দীপ্তি, কিন্তু এক পাশে কানে শ্যামবর্ণ।”
गालव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how vows and social duties can turn personal relationships into obligations governed by dharma: one must meet stipulated conditions (here, a specific gift) to act honorably within accepted norms, even when the demand is difficult.
Gālava states a precise requirement—eight hundred special horses with distinctive coloring—as the condition to be fulfilled. The request functions as a formal demand in an exchange context (a stipulated fee/bride-price) within the ongoing negotiations and duties described in this section of the Udyoga Parva.