Shloka 22

Āstravidyā-Pradarśana: The Kuru Princes’ Public Demonstration of Arms (आस्त्रविद्या-प्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

अनुसंवत्सरं जाता अपि ते कुरुसत्तमा: । पाण्डुपुत्रा व्यराजन्त पञज्च संवत्सरा इव,वे कुरुश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवगण प्रतिवर्ष एक-एक करके उत्पन्न हुए थे, तो भी देवस्वरूप होनेके कारण पाँच संवत्सरोंकी भाँति एक-से सुशोभित हो रहे थे

Transliteration

anusaṃvatsaraṃ jātā api te kurusattamāḥ | pāṇḍuputrā vyarājanta pañca saṃvatsarā iva ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Although those best of the Kurus—the sons of Pāṇḍu—were born year after year, they nevertheless shone with equal splendor, as if they were all of the same age, like five years appearing as one.

Word by Word

अनुसंवत्सरम्year by year; every year

जाताःborn

अपिeven; although

तेthey (those)

कुरुसत्तमाःbest of the Kurus

पाण्डुपुत्राःsons of Pandu

विराजन्तेshone; were resplendent

पञ्चfive

संवत्सराःyears

इवlike; as if

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kuru dynasty

Pāṇḍu

Pāṇḍavas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse suggests that true excellence is not determined by birth order or external sequence; shared virtue, innate merit, and destiny can make individuals appear equally eminent despite differences in age or circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the Pāṇḍavas as being born in successive years, yet appearing equally radiant and comparable in stature—poetically likened to five years that seem like one—highlighting their exceptional nature.