Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो धर्मिष्ठतां वव्रे राज्याच्चास्खलनं तथा । शकुन्तला पौरवाणां दुष्पन्तहितकाम्यया,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तब शकुन्तलाने दुष्यन्तके हितकी इच्छासे यह वर माँगा कि पुरुवंशी नरेश सदा धर्ममें स्थिर रहें और वे कभी राज्यसे भ्रष्ट न हों

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tato dharmiṣṭhatāṁ vavre rājyāc cāskhalanaṁ tathā | Śakuntalā Pauravāṇāṁ Duṣyanta-hita-kāmyayā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Śakuntalā, desiring the welfare of Duṣyanta, asked for this boon—that the kings of the Paurava line should remain firmly established in dharma, and that they should never slip or fall away from their sovereignty.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

ततःthen/thereupon

धर्मिष्ठताम्steadfastness in dharma (righteousness)

वव्रेchose/asked (as a boon)

राज्यात्from the kingdom/from sovereignty

चand

अस्खलनम्non-falling; not slipping (from it)

तथाlikewise/also

शकुन्तलाŚakuntalā

पौरवाणाम्of the Pauravas (Puru’s descendants)

दुष्पन्तof Duṣyanta

हितwelfare/good

काम्ययाdesiring (with the desire)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śakuntalā

Duṣyanta

Pauravas (descendants of Puru)

rājya (sovereignty/kingship)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Rulership is portrayed as secure and meaningful only when grounded in dharma; the ideal boon is not mere power but unwavering righteousness and stability in governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śakuntalā, thinking of Duṣyanta’s good, requests a boon that the Paurava kings remain devoted to dharma and never lose their kingdom—linking dynastic continuity with ethical steadfastness.