Shloka 17
आदि पर्व — अध्याय १०६
Pāṇḍu’s Gifts, Forest Residence, and Vidura’s Marriage
यस्मात् पाण्डुत्वमापन्ना विरूपं॑ प्रेक्ष्य मामिह । तस्मादेष सुतस्ते वै पाण्डुरेव भविष्यति,“अम्बालिके! तुम मुझे विरूप देखकर पाण्डुवर्णकीसी हो गयी थीं, इसलिये तुम्हारा यह पुत्र पाण्डु रंगका ही होगा
yasmāt pāṇḍutvam āpannā virūpaṁ prekṣya mām iha | tasmād eṣa sutas te vai pāṇḍur eva bhaviṣyati |
„Weil du hier, als du mich in schrecklicher Gestalt erblicktest, erbleicht bist, darum wird dieser dein Sohn wahrlich von blasser Farbe sein—Pāṇḍu.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links inner reaction to outward consequence: fear and aversion at a crucial moment are portrayed as shaping the child’s defining trait. It reflects the epic’s motif that mental states and actions have tangible results, especially in matters of lineage and destiny.
During the begetting of heirs for the Kuru line, Ambālikā becomes pale on seeing Vyāsa’s formidable appearance. As a result, the child she bears is foretold to be pale and is named/characterized as Pāṇḍu.