Shloka 24

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 181 — Svayaṃvara Aftermath: Arjuna–Karna Exchange and Bhīma–Śalya Contest

Devanagari script

मुक्तशापश्न राजर्षि: कालेन महता ततः । ऋतुकाले5भिपतितो मदयन्त्या निवारित:,दीर्घकालके पश्चात्‌ वे राजर्षि जब शापसे मुक्त हुए, तब ऋतुकालमें अपनी पत्नीके पास गये। परंतु उनकी रानी मदयन्तीने उन्हें (उक्त शापकी याद दिलाकर) रोक दिया

Transliteration

muktaśāpaś ca rājarṣiḥ kālena mahatā tataḥ | ṛtukāle ’bhipatito madayantyā nivāritaḥ ||

Translation

Nach langer Zeit wurde der königliche Rishi vom Fluch befreit. Als die Zeit der Fruchtbarkeit kam, näherte er sich seiner Gemahlin; doch Königin Madayantī hielt ihn zurück und erinnerte ihn an die Bedingung des Fluches.

Word by Word

मुक्तशापःfreed from the curse

राजर्षिःthe royal sage

कालेनby/with time

महताgreat, long (time)

ततःthen, thereafter

ऋतुकालेin the season/time of fertility

अभिपतितःhaving approached / gone to

मदयन्त्याby Madayantī

निवारितःwas restrained / prevented

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

र

राजर्षि (the royal sage, i.e., King Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda in this narrative context)

म

मदयन्ती (Madayantī, the queen)

श

शाप (curse)

ऋ

ऋतुकाल (the proper season for conception)

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?

Even when desire is socially sanctioned (approaching one’s spouse in the proper season), dharma requires restraint and adherence to conditions set by vows or curses; ethical life includes remembering consequences and choosing self-control over impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

A royal sage, long bound by a curse, is finally released. During the fertile season he approaches his wife, but Queen Madayantī stops him, recalling the curse’s stipulation and preventing a transgression.