Udyoga Parva Adhyaya 115 Shloka 4 - Mahabharata | German | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 4

Divodāsa–Mādhavī Saṃvāda: Pratardana-janma and Kanyā-niryātana (दिवोदास–माधवी संवादः / प्रतर्दन-जननम् / कन्या-निर्यातनम्)

Devanagari script

समर्थेयं जनयितुं चक्रवर्तिनमात्मजम्‌ । ब्रृहि शुल्कं द्विजश्रेष्ठ समीक्ष्य विभवं मम

Transliteration

samartheyam janayituṃ cakravartinam ātmajam | brūhi śulkaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha samīkṣya vibhavaṃ mama ||

Translation

„Dieses Mädchen vermag einen Sohn zu gebären, der ein Weltherrscher (cakravartin) sein wird. Darum, o Bester der Brahmanen, erwäge meine Mittel und meinen Besitz und nenne den angemessenen Brautpreis (śulka) für sie.“

Word by Word

समर्थाcapable

इयम्this (she)

जनयितुम्to beget / to produce

चक्रवर्तिनम्a universal monarch

आत्मजम्son

चकारsaid / spoke (lit. did)

ब्रूहिtell (you)

शुल्कम्bride-price / fee

द्विजश्रेष्ठO best of Brahmins

समीक्ष्यhaving considered / after seeing

विभवम्wealth, power, resources

ममof me / my

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

dvijaśreṣṭha (a Brahmin addressed)

kanyā (the maiden/bride)

cakravartin (universal monarch, as an ideal future son)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how marriage negotiations in epic society could involve śulka (bride-price) and how ethical propriety is framed as acting according to one’s means (vibhava). It also reflects the cultural ideal of lineage and kingship, where the worth of a match is discussed in terms of producing a capable heir.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a Brahmin guardian/father of a maiden, praising her capacity to bear a future cakravartin-like son, and requests that the Brahmin state the appropriate śulka after assessing Nārada’s wealth and standing.