Shloka 4
अध्याय ९५: चित्राङ्गदस्य गन्धर्वेण सह संग्रामः तथा विचित्रवीर्यस्य राज्याभिषेकः
Chitrāṅgada’s duel with the Gandharva and Vicitravīrya’s consecration
वैशम्पायन उवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । पूरोर्वशधरान् वीराछ्छक्रप्रतिमतेजस: । भूरिद्रविणविक्रान्तान् सर्वलक्षणपूजितान्,वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--जनमेजय! तुम मुझसे जो कुछ पूछ रहे हो, वह सब मैं तुम्हें बताऊँगा। पूरुके वंशमें उत्पन्न हुए वीर नरेश इन्द्रके समान तेजस्वी, अत्यन्त धनवान, परम पराक्रमी तथा समस्त शुभ लक्षणोंसे सम्मानित थे (उन सबका परिचय देता हूँ)
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi | Pūror vaśadharān vīrān śakra-pratima-tejasaḥ | bhūri-draviṇa-vikrāntān sarva-lakṣaṇa-pūjitān ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Wohlan — was du mich fragst, will ich dir berichten. Ich werde die heldenhaften Könige schildern, die aus der Linie Pūrus hervorgingen: Männer, deren Glanz dem Indras glich, reich an Gütern, mächtig an Tapferkeit und geehrt, weil sie alle glückverheißenden Zeichen in sich trugen.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal of responsible transmission of knowledge: the narrator commits to answer a sincere inquiry, and the worth of rulers is framed through virtues admired in kṣatriya culture—splendor, wealth used for sovereignty, valor, and recognized auspicious qualities—suggesting that legitimacy is tied to publicly acknowledged excellence.
Within the frame dialogue, Janamejaya has asked about the Pūru lineage. Vaiśampāyana begins his response, announcing that he will describe the heroic descendants of Pūru—kings compared to Indra in brilliance, rich in resources, strong in prowess, and honored for auspicious characteristics.