Shloka 54

Śakuntalā-Janma-Nāmakaraṇa (Birth and Naming of Śakuntalā) | शकुन्तला-जन्म-नामकरणम्

Devanagari script

तस्यापि निर्क्रतिर्भार्या नैर््रता येन राक्षसा: । घोरास्तस्यास्त्रय: पुत्रा: पापकर्मरता: सदा,अधर्मकी स्त्री निर्क्रति हुई, जिससे नै#ऋत नामवाले तीन भयंकर राक्षस पुत्र उत्पन्न हुए, जो सदा पापकर्ममें ही लगे रहनेवाले हैं

Transliteration

tasya api nirṛtir bhāryā nairṛtā yena rākṣasāḥ | ghorās tasyās trayaḥ putrāḥ pāpakarmaratāḥ sadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: He too had a wife named Nirṛti. From her were born three dreadful rākṣasas called Nairṛtas, who were ever devoted to sinful deeds.

Word by Word

तस्यof him

अपिalso/even

निर्ऋतिःNirṛti (name of a woman)

भार्याwife

नैरृताःbelonging to Nirṛti / Nairṛta (name/lineage)

येनby whom/through whom

राक्षसाःrākṣasas/demons

घोराःterrible

तस्याःof her

त्रयःthree

पुत्राःsons

पापकर्मरताःdevoted to sinful acts

सदाalways

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nirṛti

Nairṛtas

Rākṣasas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 frames a moral contrast: beings identified with Nirṛti (ruin) are portrayed as habitually inclined toward pāpa (sin), underscoring the Mahābhārata’s ethical lens that persistent adharma leads to fearsome, destructive outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a genealogical account, stating that Nirṛti bore three terrifying rākṣasa sons called Nairṛtas, characterized as always engaged in sinful actions.