Shloka 18

Āstravidyā-Pradarśana: The Kuru Princes’ Public Demonstration of Arms (आस्त्रविद्या-प्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

सत्त्वरूपगुणोपेतौ भवतोत्यश्विनाविति । भासतस्तेजसात्यर्थ रूपद्रविणसम्पदा,'ये दोनों बालक अश्विनीकुमारोंसे भी बढ़कर बुद्धि, रूप और गुणोंसे सम्पन्न होंगे। अपने तेज तथा बढ़ी-चढ़ी रूप-सम्पत्तिके द्वारा ये दोनों सदा प्रकाशित रहेंगे”

Transliteration

sattvarūpaguṇopetau bhavato'tyaśvināv iti | bhāsatas tejasātyartha rūpadraviṇasampadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Diese beiden werden mit Vorzüglichkeit des Wesens, Schönheit und Tugenden ausgestattet sein — ja, sie werden selbst die Aśvinīkumāras übertreffen. Durch ihren außerordentlichen Glanz und die reiche Pracht von Gestalt und Gedeihen werden sie immerdar leuchten.“

Word by Word

सत्त्व-रूप-गुण-उपेतौendowed with goodness/being, beauty and virtues

भवतःof you (honorific)

अति-अश्विनौthe two Aśvins (Aśvinīkumāras)

इतिthus

भासतःthey two shine

तेजसाby (their) splendor

अत्यर्थम्exceedingly, very much

रूप-द्रविण-सम्पदाby the wealth of beauty (richness of form)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aśvinīkumāras (the Aśvins)

two boys (unnamed in this verse)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links inner excellence (sattva, guṇa) with outward manifestation (tejas, rūpa, prosperity), suggesting that virtue and auspicious destiny naturally express themselves as radiance, reputation, and well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a laudatory prediction about two boys: they will surpass even the divine twins (Aśvinīkumāras) in qualities and will be conspicuous for their brilliance and prosperity.