Shloka 110

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

जयद्रथाय प्रददौ सौबलानुमते तदा । धर्मस्यांशं तु राजानं विद्धि राजन्‌ युधिष्ठिरम्‌,भूपाल! उन सबका सुयोग्य स्त्रियोंक साथ विवाह हुआ था। महाराज! कुरुराज दुर्योधनने समय आनेपर शकुनिकी सलाहसे अपनी बहिन दुःशलाका विवाह सिन्धुदेशके राजा जयद्रथके साथ कर दिया। जनमेजय! राजा युधिष्ठिरको तो तुम धर्मका अंश जानो

Transliteration

jayadrathāya pradadau saubalānumate tadā | dharmasyāṁśaṁ tu rājānaṁ viddhi rājan yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Damals gab er, mit Zustimmung des Saubala (Śakuni), (seine Schwester) Jayadratha zur Ehe. Und wisse, o König, dass König Yudhiṣṭhira ein Anteil des Dharma selbst ist.

Word by Word

• {'jayadrathāya': 'to Jayadratha (dative

• recipient of the marriage alliance)', 'pradadau': 'gave, bestowed (in marriage)', 'saubala': 'the Saubala

• Śakuni of Gandhāra', 'anumate': 'with the consent/approval (locative of anu-mati)', 'tadā': 'then, at that time', 'dharmasya': 'of Dharma (righteousness

• also the deity Dharma)', 'aṁśam': 'a portion, share

• an incarnation/partial manifestation', 'tu': 'but/indeed (emphatic contrast)', 'rājānam': 'the king (accusative)', 'viddhi': 'know, understand (imperative)', 'rājan': 'O king (vocative

• addressed to Janamejaya)', 'yudhiṣṭhiram': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (accusative)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Jayadratha
• Śakuni (Saubala)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes political action with moral identity: alliances may be forged through strategic counsel (a marriage bestowed with Śakuni’s approval), yet true legitimacy in kingship is grounded in Dharma—personified in Yudhiṣṭhira as a partial manifestation of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana tells Janamejaya that, following Śakuni’s counsel, a marriage alliance was arranged with Jayadratha; immediately thereafter he affirms Yudhiṣṭhira’s nature as ‘a portion of Dharma,’ highlighting his ethical preeminence amid dynastic events.