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Shloka 13

Ruru–Pramadvarā: Lineage, Fosterage, Betrothal, and the Snakebite Crisis (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 8)

प्रमदाभ्यो वरा सा तु सत्त्वरूपगुणान्विता । ततः प्रमद्वरेत्यस्था नाम चक्रे महानृषि:,वह बुद्धि, रूप और सब उत्तम गुणोंसे सुशोभित हो संसारकी समस्त प्रमदाओं (सुन्दरी स्त्रियों)-से श्रेष्ठ जान पड़ती थी; इसलिये महर्षिने उसका नाम “प्रमद्धरा' रख दिया

pramadābhyo varā sā tu sattvarūpaguṇānvitā | tataḥ pramadvarety āsthā nāma cakre mahān ṛṣiḥ ||

Śaunaka sprach: Sie erschien allen anderen Mädchen überlegen, begabt mit edler Gesinnung, Schönheit und vortrefflichen Eigenschaften. Darum verlieh der große Weise ihr, da er sie für die Beste unter den Mädchen hielt, den Namen „Pramadvārā“.

प्रमदाभ्यःfrom (among) the women/maidens
प्रमदाभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमदा
FormFeminine, Ablative, Plural
वराexcellent, best
वरा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
साshe
सा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
सत्त्व-रूप-गुण-अन्विताendowed with good nature, beauty, and virtues
सत्त्व-रूप-गुण-अन्विता:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्वित (√इ + नि, past participle used adjectivally)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ततःtherefore/then
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
प्रमदा-वराthe best among women
प्रमदा-वरा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमदा + वर
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अस्याof her
अस्या:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormFeminine, Genitive, Singular
नामname
नाम:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनामन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चक्रेmade, assigned
चक्रे:
TypeVerb
Root√कृ
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada
महान्great
महान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ऋषिःsage
ऋषिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

शौनक उवाच

Ś
Śaunaka
M
mahān ṛṣiḥ (the great sage)
P
Pramadvārā (named woman)

Educational Q&A

The verse links true excellence to a combination of inner virtue (sattva) and outward grace (rūpa), suggesting that worthiness is recognized through both character and conduct, and is honored through meaningful naming.

Śaunaka reports that a woman is judged superior to other maidens because of her noble nature, beauty, and virtues; consequently, a great sage gives her the name Pramadvārā, reflecting her perceived preeminence.