Shloka 95

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

दुर्मर्षणो दुर्मुखश्न दुष्कर्ण: कर्ण एव च । चित्रोपचित्रौ चित्राक्षक्षारुक्षित्राड्रदश्ष ह

Transliteration

Durmarṣaṇo Durmukhaś ca Duṣkarṇaḥ Karṇa eva ca | Citropacitrau Citrākṣaḥ Kṣārukṣitro 'dradaśaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Among them were Durmarṣaṇa, Durmukha, Duṣkarṇa, and Karṇa; also Citropacitra, Citrākṣa, Kṣārukṣitra, and Adradaśa.”

Word by Word

दुर्मर्षणःone who is hard to endure/overcome

दुर्मुखःone with an evil face; ill-mouthed

दुष्कर्णःone with bad ears; ill-eared

कर्णःKarna (proper name)

एवindeed; just

चand

चित्रःChitra (proper name); the variegated/bright one

उपचित्रःUpachitra (proper name)

चित्रौthe two named Chitra (or: the two bright/variegated ones)

चित्राक्षःone with variegated/bright eyes; Chitraksha (proper name)

चारुक्षित्रःone having a beautiful field/region; Charukshitra (proper name)

दृढदंशःone with firm bite/teeth; Dridhadamsha (proper name)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Durmarṣaṇa

Durmukha

Duṣkarṇa

Karṇa

Citropacitra (two individuals)

Citrākṣa

Kṣārukṣitra

Adradaśa

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 itself is a name-list, but in context it teaches how epic catalogues emphasize the magnitude of responsibility in kṣatriya society: many powerful individuals are named, yet power without dharma becomes a force that accelerates collective ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is enumerating prominent figures (largely associated with the Kuru/Kaurava side in the broader narrative), continuing a formal catalogue that situates later events by identifying key participants and allies.