Shloka 54
Duḥṣanta at Kaṇva-Āśrama; Śakuntalā’s Reception and Origin Prelude (दुःषन्तस्य कण्वाश्रमागमनम्)
भुजज़ानां सुपर्णानां रुद्राणां मरुतां तथा । गवां च ब्राह्मणानां च श्रीमतां पुण्यकर्मणाम्,राजन! इस प्रकार मैंने तुम्हें सम्पूर्ण भूतोंकी उत्पत्तिका वृत्तान्त बताया है। इसी तरह गन्धर्वों, अप्सराओं, नागों, सुपर्णों, रुद्रों, मरुद्गणों, गौओं तथा श्रीसम्पन्न पुण्यकर्मा ब्राह्मणोंके जन्मकी कथा भी भलीभाँति कही है
bhujagānāṁ suparṇānāṁ rudrāṇāṁ marutāṁ tathā | gavāṁ ca brāhmaṇānāṁ ca śrīmatāṁ puṇyakarmaṇām ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O König, so habe ich dir den Bericht von den Ursprüngen aller Wesen dargelegt—und ebenso gebührend die Geburten der Gandharvas und Apsaras, der Nāgas, der Suparṇas, der Rudras, der Marut-Heerscharen, des Rindviehs und der wohlhabenden Brāhmaṇas mit verdienstvollen Taten erzählt.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s concern with tracing origins and lineages while valuing puṇya (meritorious conduct): even when listing classes of beings, it highlights ethical worth—‘puṇyakarmaṇām’—as a mark of true prosperity (‘śrī’).
Vaiśampāyana, narrating to King Janamejaya, concludes a section of origin-stories by stating that he has already recounted the births and lineages of multiple divine and semi-divine groups (Gandharvas, Apsarases, Nāgas, Suparṇas, Rudras, Maruts), as well as cattle and virtuous Brahmins.