Shloka 20
Pūru-vaṁśa, Duṣmanta–Śakuntalā, and the Rise of Mahārāja Bharata
यदा न जगृहे राजा भार्यापुत्रावनिन्दितौ । शृण्वतां सर्वभूतानां खे वागाहाशरीरिणी ॥ २० ॥
yadā na jagṛhe rājā bhāryā-putrāv aninditau śṛṇvatāṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ khe vāg āhāśarīriṇī
Als der König seine untadelige Gattin und den Sohn nicht annehmen wollte, ertönte, von allen vernommen, eine körperlose Stimme aus dem Himmel als göttliches Zeichen.
Mahārāja Duṣmanta knew that Śakuntalā and the boy were his own wife and son, but because they came from outside and were unknown to the citizens, he at first declined to accept them. Śakuntalā, however, was so chaste that an omen from the sky declared the truth so that others could hear. When everyone heard from the omen that Śakuntalā and her child were truly the King’s wife and son, the King gladly accepted them.
FAQs
This verse describes an aśarīriṇī vāk—an incorporeal heavenly voice—appearing when the king refuses to accept his blameless wife and son, indicating divine oversight in upholding dharma.
Because the wife and son were described as anindita (faultless), the refusal created a moral crisis; the narrative signals that higher authority intervenes to direct the king back toward righteous conduct.
When we reject innocent people or avoid responsibility, consequences arise; this verse encourages self-correction and listening to conscience, scripture, and wise counsel to realign with dharma.