Shloka 51

Śārṅgakānāṃ Avināśaḥ (Why the Śārṅga Birds Were Spared) | शार्ङ्गकानामविनाशः

Devanagari script

पृष्ठ्यानामपि चाश्वानां बाह्नलिकानां जनार्दन: । ददौ शतसहस्राख्यं कन्याधनमनुत्तमम्‌,जनार्दनने उत्तम दहेजके रूपमें बाह्नीकदेशके एक लाख घोड़े दिये, जो पीठपर सवारी ढोनेवाले थे

Transliteration

pṛṣṭhyānām api cāśvānāṃ bāhṇalikānāṃ janārdanaḥ | dadau śatasahasrākhyaṃ kanyādhanaṃ anuttamam ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Janārdana bestowed, as an unsurpassed bridal gift, a dowry reckoned at a hundred thousand—horses from the Bāhlīka land, fit for bearing riders upon their backs.

Word by Word

• पृष्ठ्यानाम्: of (those) fit for carrying on the back / riding
• पृष्ठ्यानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ठ्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• अश्वानाम्: of horses
• अश्वानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बाह्नलिकानाम्: of the Bāhnlīka/Bāhlīka (country/people)
• बाह्नलिकानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्नलिक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शतसहस्राख्यम्: named/amounting to a hundred thousand
• शतसहस्राख्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतसहस्राख्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कन्याधनम्: maiden’s wealth / dowry
• कन्याधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्याधन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Janārdana
• Bāhlīka (country/people)
• aśvāḥ (horses)
• kanyādhana (bridal gift/dowry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dāna (generous giving) and the dharma of honoring marriage alliances through appropriate, publicly recognized gifts—wealth used to uphold social responsibility and familial bonds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Janārdana provides an exceptional bridal gift: a dowry counted as one hundred thousand riding-horses from the Bāhlīka region.