Shloka 5

आह्वानमन्त्रप्रयोगः — Kuntī’s Invocations and the Birth-Portents of the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

तस्य वीरस्य विक्रान्तै: सहस्रशतदक्षिणै: । अश्वमेधशतैरीजे धृतराष्ट्री महामखै:,वीरवर पाण्डुके पराक्रमसे धृतराष्ट्रने बड़े-बड़े सौ अश्वमेध यज्ञ किये तथा प्रत्येक यज्ञमें एक-एक लाख स्वर्णमुद्राओंकी दक्षिणा दी

Transliteration

tasya vīrasya vikrāntaiḥ sahasraśatadakṣiṇaiḥ | aśvamedhaśatair īje dhṛtarāṣṭrī mahāmakhaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Jener heldenhafte König, berühmt für seine Tapferkeit, vollzog hundert Aśvamedha-Opfer—große Riten, begleitet von überreichen Gaben—und gewährte dakṣiṇā in Hunderten und Tausenden. So zeigte er königliches Dharma durch öffentliche Freigebigkeit und die feierliche Erfüllung großer Opfergelübde.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वीरस्य: of the hero
• वीरस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विक्रान्तैः: with valiant (means/assistants)
• विक्रान्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सहस्रशतदक्षिणैः: having fees (dakṣiṇā) of thousands and hundreds
• सहस्रशतदक्षिणैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्रशत-दक्षिण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्वमेधशतैः: by hundreds of Aśvamedha (sacrifices)
• अश्वमेधशतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध-शत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• ईजे: he performed sacrifice / worshipped
• ईजे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• धृतराष्ट्री: with Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (name/epithet)
• धृतराष्ट्री: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतराष्ट्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• महामखैः: with great sacrifices
• महामखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts/fees)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (epithet/name as it appears in the verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a model of royal dharma: a king demonstrates legitimacy and responsibility through solemn public rites and, crucially, through generous dakṣiṇā. Ethical emphasis falls on largesse, honoring ritual obligations, and using power to sustain social-religious order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a heroic ruler performing a large series of Aśvamedha sacrifices—one hundred—each accompanied by substantial gifts to the priests. The narration underscores the king’s prowess and prosperity expressed through grand sacrificial patronage.