Shloka 172
कल्माषपाद-शाप-कारणम्
Cause of Kalmāṣapāda’s Niyoga under a Curse
(कुरूद्धवा यतो यूयं कौरवा: कुरवस्तथा । पौरवा आजमीढाक्ष भारता भरतर्षभ || तापत्यमखिल प्रोक्तं वृत्तान्तं तव पूर्वकम् । पुरोहितमुखा यूय॑ भुड्ग्ध्वं वै पृथिवीमिमाम् ।।) भरतश्रेष्ठ उन्हीं कुरुसे उत्पन्न होनेके कारण आप सब लोग “कौरव” तथा “कुरुवंशी' कहलाते हैं। इसी प्रकार पुरुसे उत्पन्न होनेके कारण “पौरव”, अजमीढकुलमें जन्म लेनेसे “आजमीढ' तथा भरतकुलमें उत्पन्न होनेसे भारत” कहलाते हैं। इस प्रकार आपलोगोंकी वंशजननी तपतीका सारा पुरातन वृत्तान्त मैंने बता दिया। अब आपलोग पुरोहितको आगे रखकर इस पृथ्वीका पालन एवं उपभोग करें। इति श्रीमहाभारते आदिपर्वणि चैत्ररथपर्वणि तपत्युपाख्यानसमाप्तौ द्विसप्तत्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:
gandharva uvāca |
kurūddhavā yato yūyaṃ kauravāḥ kuravas tathā |
pauravā ājamīḍhākṣa bhāratā bharatarṣabha ||
tāpatyam akhilaṃ proktaṃ vṛttāntaṃ tava pūrvakam |
purohitamukhā yūyaṃ bhuṅkdhvaṃ vai pṛthivīm imām ||
The Gandharva said: “Since you have arisen from Kuru, you are called ‘Kauravas’ and also ‘Kuruvanshins’. Likewise, because you descend from Puru you are ‘Pauravas’; because you were born in the line of Ajamīḍha you are ‘Ājamīḍhas’; and because you are born in Bharata’s lineage you are ‘Bhāratas’, O bull among the Bhāratas. Thus I have fully related to you the ancient account of Tapatī, your foremother. Now, placing your family priest at the forefront, protect and duly enjoy this earth.”
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dynastic power is framed as legitimate only when exercised under dharma: the king should place the purohita (custodian of ritual and counsel) in front and then protect and ‘enjoy’ the earth—i.e., rule responsibly, not merely possess.
A Gandharva concludes the Tapatī episode by explaining the various lineage-based names of the Kuru descendants (Kaurava, Paurava, Ājamīḍha, Bhārata) and then exhorts them to govern the realm with the guidance of their priest.