Shloka 130
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
पितुः स्वस्नीयपुत्राय सो5नपत्याय वीर्यवान् । अग्रमग्रे प्रतिज्ञाय स्वस्यापत्यस्य वै तदा,उग्रसेनके फुफेरे भाई कुन्तिभोज संतानहीन थे। पराक्रमी शूरसेनने पहले कभी उनके सामने यह प्रतिज्ञा की थी कि “मैं अपनी पहली संतान आपको दे दूँगा”
pituḥ svasnīya-putrāya so ’napatyāya vīryavān | agram agre pratijñāya svasyāpatyasya vai tadā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: That mighty man, seeing his father’s sister’s son to be without offspring, had earlier made a solemn promise to him: “I will give you my first-born child.” Thus is shown a binding pledge, born of kinship-duty and compassion for a childless kinsman, by which private vows come to steer the fate of dynasties.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical weight of a pratijñā (solemn vow): a promise made out of familial responsibility and compassion becomes a binding moral commitment, shaping social and dynastic outcomes.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the powerful Śūrasena, in response to Kuntibhoja’s childlessness (his father’s sister’s son), had earlier promised to give him his first-born child—setting up the later transfer/adoption that connects Kuntī to Kuntibhoja.