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Shloka 62

Devanagari script

दन्तवक्त्रश्न नामासीद्‌ दुर्जयश्वैव दानव: । रुक्मी च नृपशार्दूलो राजा च जनमेजय:,मद्रक, क्णवेष्ट, सिद्धार्थ, कीटक, सुवीर, सुबाहु, महावीर, बाह्लिक, क्रथ, विचित्र, सुरथ, श्रीमान्‌ नील नरेश, चीरवासा, भूमिपाल, दन्तवक्त्र, दानव दुर्जय, नृपश्रेष्ठ रुक्मी, राजा जनमेजय, आषाढ, वायुवेग, भूरितेजा, एकलव्य, सुमित्र, वाटधान, गोमुख, करूषदेशके अनेक राजा, क्षेमधूर्ति, श्रुतायु, उद्वह, बृहत्सेन, क्षेम, उग्रतीर्थ, कलिंग-नरेश कुहर तथा परम बुद्धिमान्‌ मनुष्योंका राजा ईश्वर

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | dantavaktraś ca nāmāsīd durjayaś caiva dānavaḥ | rukmī ca nṛpaśārdūlo rājā ca janamejayaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “There was a Dānava named Dantavaktra, and also another Dānava named Durjaya. There was Rukmī, a tiger among kings, and King Janamejaya as well.”

Word by Word

दन्तवक्त्रःDantavaktra (proper name)

नामby name / named

आसीत्was

दुर्जयःhard to conquer / unconquerable

चand

एवindeed / just

दानवःdemon (Danava)

रुक्मीRukmi (proper name)

चand

नृपशार्दूलःtiger among kings (epithet)

राजाking

चand

जनमेजयःJanamejaya (proper name)

मद्रकःMadraka (proper name/king)

क्णवेष्टःKṇaveṣṭa (name; uncertain reading)

सिद्धार्थःSiddhartha (name; lit. 'one whose aim is achieved')

कीटकःKītaka (name)

सुवीरःSuvīra (name; 'very heroic')

सुबाहुःSubāhu (name; 'having good arms')

महावीरःMahāvīra (name; 'great hero')

बाह्लिकःBāhlika (name/king of Bahlika region)

क्रथःKratha (name)

विचित्रःVicitra (name; 'wonderful/variegated')

सुरथःSuratha (name; 'having good chariot')

श्रीमान्prosperous, illustrious

नीलःNīla (name)

नरेशःlord of men, king

चीरवासाCīravāsa (name; 'wearing bark/cloth')

भूमिपालःprotector of the earth, king

दन्तवक्त्रःDantavaktra (repeated name)

दानवःDanava, demon (repeated)

दुर्जयःunconquerable (repeated)

नृपश्रेष्ठःbest of kings

रुक्मीRukmi (repeated)

राजाking (repeated)

जनमेजयःJanamejaya (repeated)

आषाढःĀṣāḍha (name)

वायुवेगःVāyuvega (name; 'speed of the wind')

भूरितेजाःBhūritejā (name; 'of great splendor')

एकलव्यःEkalavya (proper name)

सुमित्रःSumitra (name; 'good friend')

वाटधानःVāṭadhāna (name; uncertain)

गोमुखःGomukha (name; 'cow-faced')

करूषदेशकेin/at Karūṣa-deśaka (region) (uncertain form)

अनेकाःmany

राजानःkings

क्षेमधूर्तिःKṣemadhūrti (name)

श्रुतायुःŚrutāyu (name; 'long-lived by fame/hearing')

उद्वहःUdvaha (name; 'bearer')

बृहत्सेनःBṛhatsena (name; 'having a great army')

क्षेमःKṣema (name; 'welfare/safety')

उग्रतीर्थःUgratīrtha (name; 'having fierce sacred ford')

कलिंगनरेशःking of Kalinga

कुहरःKuhara (name)

तथाand also / likewise

परमःsupreme, very great

बुद्धिमान्intelligent, wise

मनुष्याणाम्of men / of humans

राजाking

ईश्वरःlord, ruler

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dantavaktra

Durjaya

Rukmī

Janamejaya

Dānava (class of beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This verse is primarily enumerative rather than didactic: it models the epic habit of preserving memory through lists of notable beings (kings and powerful figures). Ethically, such catalogues underscore the Mahābhārata’s concern with lineage, reputation, and the impermanence of worldly power—great names are recorded, yet they remain part of a larger moral history.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a catalogue-style narration, naming prominent figures: the Dānavas Dantavaktra and Durjaya, and the royal figures Rukmī and Janamejaya. The function is to situate characters within the epic’s vast network of persons and lineages.