Shloka 20
भरतस्तिसृषु स्त्रीषु नव पुत्रानजीजनत् । नाभ्यनन्दत तान् राजा नानुरूपा ममेत्युत,भरतने अपनी तीन रानियोंसे नौ पुत्र उत्पन्न किये। किंतु “ये मेरे अनुरूप नहीं हैं' ऐसा कहकर राजाने उन शिशुओंका अभिनन्दन नहीं किया
bharatas tisṛṣu strīṣu nava putrān ajījanat | nābhyanandata tān rājā nānurūpā mamety uta ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Bharata begot nine sons through his three queens. Yet the king did not rejoice in them, saying, “They are not worthy of me,” for he found them not in keeping with his own royal ideal.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between biological progeny and the king’s responsibility to uphold a perceived royal standard. It suggests that mere birth does not automatically satisfy ideals of fitness for succession; rulers are portrayed as judging heirs by qualities they deem befitting of dharma and kingship.
In the genealogical account, Bharata fathers nine sons through his three queens. However, he does not celebrate or accept them with satisfaction, declaring that they are not ‘anurūpa’—not matching his own stature or expectations—thereby setting up a succession concern within the lineage narrative.