Shloka 36
Duḥṣanta at Kaṇva-Āśrama; Śakuntalā’s Reception and Origin Prelude (दुःषन्तस्य कण्वाश्रमागमनम्)
असुराणामुपाध्याय: शुक्रस्त्वृषिसुतो 5भवत् | ख्याताश्लोशनस: पुत्रा क्षत्वारो$सुरयाजका:,असुरोंके उपाध्याय (अध्यापक एवं पुरोहित) शुक्राचार्य महर्षि भृगुके पुत्र थे। उन्हें उशना भी कहते हैं। उशनाके चार पुत्र हुए, जो असुरोंके पुरोहित थे
asurāṇām upādhyāyaḥ śukras tv ṛṣisuto ’bhavat | khyātāś lośanasaḥ putrāś catvāro ’surayājakāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The preceptor and priest of the Asuras was Śukra, the son of a great seer. He was also famed by the name Uśanā. Uśanā had four sons, renowned as officiating priests who performed sacrifices for the Asuras—showing how even among the Asuras, learning, ritual authority, and inherited priestly lineages were firmly established.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that social and religious institutions—teachers, priests, and hereditary ritual lineages—exist even among groups portrayed as antagonistic (the Asuras). It implicitly underscores the power of learning and ritual authority as forces that shape communities, regardless of moral alignment.
Vaiśampāyana identifies Śukra (also called Uśanā) as the Asuras’ preceptor and notes that he had four sons who served as sacrificial priests for the Asuras, establishing their priestly network and ritual leadership.