Shloka 3

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Sarvadamana’s Childhood and Śakuntalā’s Claim at Court

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच पौरवाणां वंशकरो दुष्यन्तो नाम वीर्यवान्‌ । पृथिव्याश्षतुरन्‍्ताया गोप्ता भरतसत्तम,वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--भरतवंशशिरोमणे! पूरुवंशका विस्तार करनेवाले एक राजा हो गये हैं, जिनका नाम था दुष्यन्त। वे महान्‌ पराक्रमी तथा चारों समुद्रोंसे घिरी हुई समूची पृथ्वीके पालक थे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pauravāṇāṃ vaṃśakaro duṣyanto nāma vīryavān | pṛthivyāś caturantāyā goptā bharatasattama ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of the Bharatas, there arose a mighty king named Duṣyanta, who expanded the line of the Pauravas. A man of great valor, he was the protector of the entire earth—the whole world in its four quarters—ruling as a guardian-king in accordance with royal duty.”

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

पौरवाणाम्of the Pauravas

वंशकरःlineage-founder/propagator

दुष्यन्तःDuṣyanta

नामby name

वीर्यवान्mighty, valorous

पृथिव्याःof the earth

चतुरन्तायाःof (the earth) bounded by four ends (i.e., four seas)

गोप्ताprotector

भरतसत्तमO best of the Bharatas

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duṣyanta

Pauravas (Pūru lineage)

Bhāratas (Bharata lineage)

Pṛthivī (Earth)

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 highlights rājadharma: a true king is a goptā (guardian) of the whole realm, combining valor with the responsibility to protect and sustain the world-order, while also ensuring continuity of a righteous lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces King Duṣyanta as a powerful Paurava ruler who expanded the dynasty and protected the entire earth, setting the stage for the lineage that culminates in the Bhārata story.