Shloka 3

Kuru Prosperity under Bhīṣma and the Succession of Pāṇḍu (कुरुराष्ट्रसमृद्धिः पाण्डुराज्यप्राप्तिश्च)

Devanagari script

अथापरं महेष्वासं सत्यवत्यां सुतं प्रभु: । विचित्रवीर्य राजानं जनयामास वीर्यवान्‌,इसके बाद महापराक्रमी और शक्तिशाली राजा शान्तनुने दूसरे पुत्र महान्‌ धनुर्धर राजा विचित्रवीर्यको जन्म दिया

Transliteration

athāparaṁ maheṣvāsaṁ satyavatyāṁ sutaṁ prabhuḥ | vicitravīrya-rājānaṁ janayāmāsa vīryavān ||

Translation

Dann zeugte der mächtige Herr Śāntanu—selbst ein Mann großer Kraft—bei Satyavatī einen weiteren Sohn: den König Vicitravīrya, einen großen Bogenschützen.

Word by Word

अथthen

अपरम्another (one)

महेष्वासम्great archer

सत्यवत्याम्in/through Satyavatī (as mother; in Satyavatī)

सुतम्son

प्रभुःthe lord/sovereign

विचित्रवीर्यराजानम्King Vichitravīrya

जनयामासbegot/caused to be born

वीर्यवान्powerful, vigorous

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śāntanu

Satyavatī

Vicitravīrya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the royal responsibility of ensuring lawful succession and continuity of governance—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma aimed at preserving social and political stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana states that King Śāntanu, through Satyavatī, fathered another son—Vicitravīrya—described as a powerful king and great archer.