Shloka 19

Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity

Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27

Devanagari script

भूमिपानां च सर्वेषां बलं बलवतां वर:

Transliteration

bhūmipānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ balaṃ balavatāṃ varaḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Unter allen Herrschern der Erde war er die Kraft der Starken — der Vordere unter den Mächtigen.“

Word by Word

• भूमिपानाम्: of kings (earth-protectors)
• भूमिपानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिप (भूमि + प)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• बलम्: strength, power
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• बलवताम्: of the strong
• बलवताम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best, the foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• bhūmipāḥ (kings/rulers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line underscores an ethical ideal of kingship: true eminence is not merely personal might but being a stabilizing ‘strength’ for other powerful rulers—suggesting responsibility, protection, and exemplary leadership as the proper use of power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Strī Parva’s post-war setting, Vaiśampāyana describes a figure being praised in superlative terms—portrayed as preeminent among kings and as the very support of the powerful—within the broader atmosphere of mourning and assessment of the great ones lost in the conflict.