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Shloka 52

Duḥṣanta at Kaṇva-Āśrama; Śakuntalā’s Reception and Origin Prelude (दुःषन्तस्य कण्वाश्रमागमनम्)

अमृतं ब्राह्मणा गावो गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा | अपत्यं कपिलायास्तु पुराणे परिकीर्तितम्‌,अमृत, ब्राह्मण, गौएँ, गन्धर्व तथा अप्सराएँ--ये सब पुराणमें कपिलाकी संतानें बतायी गयी हैं

amṛtaṃ brāhmaṇā gāvo gandharvāpsarasas tathā | apatyaṃ kapilāyās tu purāṇe parikīrtitam ||

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „In der puranischen Überlieferung wird verkündet, dass Nektar (amṛta), die Brāhmaṇas, die Kühe und ebenso die Gandharvas und Apsaras die Nachkommenschaft Kapilās sind.“ Der Vers fasst diese verehrten und heilsamen Wirklichkeiten—heiliges Getränk, Hüter der rituellen Ordnung, lebensspendendes Rindvieh und himmlische Wesen—als aus einer einzigen uranfänglichen Quelle hervorgegangen auf und betont so eine sittliche Weltsicht, die von Heiligkeit, Nahrung und kosmischer Harmonie geprägt ist.

अमृतम्nectar; ambrosia
अमृतम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअमृत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins
ब्राह्मणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गावःcows
गावः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
गन्धर्वाःGandharvas
गन्धर्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगन्धर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अप्सरसःApsarases (celestial nymphs)
अप्सरसः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअप्सरस्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
तथाand; likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
अपत्यम्offspring; progeny
अपत्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअपत्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
कपिलायाःof Kapilā
कपिलायाः:
TypeNoun
Rootकपिला
FormFeminine, Genitive, Singular
तुindeed; but
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
पुराणेin the Purāṇa; in the ancient account
पुराणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपुराण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
परिकीर्तितम्is proclaimed/recorded
परिकीर्तितम्:
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-कीर्तित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive, Perfect/Resultative (PPP sense)

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
Kapilā
A
Amṛta
B
Brāhmaṇas
C
Cows (Gāvaḥ)
G
Gandharvas
A
Apsarases
P
Purāṇa (traditional lore)

Educational Q&A

The verse presents a Purāṇic genealogy that links highly revered elements—amṛta, Brāhmaṇas, cows, and celestial beings—to a single origin (Kapilā), reinforcing a dharmic worldview where sacred nourishment, ritual authority, and cosmic artistry are interconnected and honored.

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, cites an older Purāṇic account: he reports that certain exalted beings and substances are described as Kapilā’s progeny, situating the discussion within mythic-cosmological lineage rather than immediate human action.