Shloka 39
Pūru-vaṁśa, Duṣmanta–Śakuntalā, and the Rise of Mahārāja Bharata
चोद्यमाना सुरैरेवं मत्वा वितथमात्मजम् । व्यसृजन् मरुतोऽबिभ्रन् दत्तोऽयं वितथेऽन्वये ॥ ३९ ॥
codyamānā surair evaṁ matvā vitatham ātmajam vyasṛjan maruto ’bibhran datto ’yaṁ vitathe ’nvaye
Though urged by the demigods to raise the child, Mamatā deemed him “Vitatha”—useless—because of his illicit birth and abandoned him. The Marut demigods then maintained him, and later, when Mahārāja Bharata lamented for want of a son, this child was given to him as his son.
From this verse it is understood that those who are rejected from the higher planetary system are given a chance to take birth in the most exalted families on this planet earth.
FAQs
The Maruts are celestial deities associated with wind and storms; in this verse they accept Vitatha as their son under the direction of the demigods.
Within the narrative of Canto 9’s royal genealogies, the demigods facilitate a rightful continuation of lineage; here they prompt the Maruts to recognize Vitatha and place him properly in Vitatha’s family line.
It highlights that higher providence can redirect difficult situations toward rightful belonging and duty—encouraging steadiness in dharma when outcomes seem uncertain.