Shloka 6

पाण्डोः प्रव्रज्या-व्रतवर्णनम् | Pāṇḍu’s Resolve for Renunciation and Forest Discipline

Devanagari script

कुलीना रूपवत्यश्व ता: कन्या: पुत्र सर्वश: । उचिताश्रवैव सम्बन्धे ते>स्माकं क्षत्रियर्षभा:,बेटा! वे सब कन्याएँ बड़ी सुन्दरी तथा उत्तम कुलमें उत्पन्न हैं। वे श्रेष्ठ क्षत्रियगण हमारे साथ विवाह-सम्बन्धकरनेके सर्वथा योग्य हैं

Transliteration

kulīnā rūpavatyāś ca tāḥ kanyāḥ putra sarvaśaḥ | ucitāś caiva sambandhe te ’smākaṃ kṣatriyarṣabha ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Mein Sohn, all diese Jungfrauen sind von edler Herkunft und von großer Schönheit. O Stier unter den Kṣatriyas, sie sind in jeder Hinsicht geeignet, ein Ehebündnis mit unserem Hause zu schließen.“

Word by Word

कुलीनाःwell-born, of noble family

रूपवत्यःbeautiful, possessing beauty

चand

ताःthose

कन्याःmaidens, daughters

पुत्रO son

सर्वशःentirely, in every way

उचिताःfit, suitable

एवindeed, just

सम्बन्धेin relation/connection (here: in marriage alliance)

तेthey

अस्माकम्of us, our

क्षत्रियर्षभाःO bulls among Kshatriyas (best of warriors)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

putra (addressed son)

kṣatriyarṣabha (addressed kṣatriya noble)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and social criteria for marriage alliances in kṣatriya society—noble lineage, suitability, and propriety—framing marriage as a dharmic bond that strengthens families and political order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a younger kṣatriya (calling him “son” and “bull among kṣatriyas”), assuring him that the maidens under discussion are well-born and beautiful, and that they are fully appropriate for establishing a marital relationship with Bhīṣma’s family.