Shloka 25
Jarā’s Account and the Enthronement of Jarāsandha (जरासंधोत्पत्तिः अभिषेकश्च)
ततः सभार्य: प्रणतस्तमुवाच बृहद्रथ: । पुत्रदर्शननैराश्याद् वाष्पसंदिग्धया गिरा
tataḥ sabhāryaḥ praṇatas tam uvāca bṛhadrathaḥ | putradarśana-nairāśyād vāṣpa-saṃdigdhyayā girā ||
Da verneigte sich König Bṛhadratha, von seinen Königinnen begleitet, und wandte sich an den Weisen. Hoffnungslos nach langer Enttäuschung, nie einen Sohn erblickt zu haben, und mit von Tränen erstickter, verschwommener Stimme sprach er—und offenbarte sowohl den menschlichen Schmerz unerfüllter Nachfolge als auch des Königs ehrfürchtiges Vertrauen in die asketische Wahrheit als Quelle von Rat und Heilung.
स उवाच मुनि राजा भगवन् नास्ति मे सुतः ।
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights humility and reliance on dharmic, truth-bearing ascetic counsel: even a powerful king, distressed by the absence of an heir, approaches a sage with reverence, showing that authority is ethically tempered by submission to spiritual insight and truth.
After the sage offers a boon, King Bṛhadratha comes with his queens, bows down, and speaks through tears—his voice clouded by grief—because he has lost hope of ever seeing a son.