Shloka 58

Devanagari script

पाण्डोस्तु द्वे भार्ये बभूवतु: कुन्ती पृथा नाम माद्री च इत्युभे स्त्रीरत्ने,पाण्डुकी दो पत्नियाँ थीं; कुन्तिभोजकी कन्या पृथा और माद्री। ये दोनों ही स्त्रियोंमें रत्नस्वरूपा थीं

Transliteration

pāṇḍos tu dve bhārye babhūvatuḥ—kuntī pṛthā nāma mādrī ca—ity ubhe strīratne.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Pāṇḍu had two wives—Kuntī, also known as Pṛthā, and Mādrī. Both were regarded as jewel-like women, distinguished in virtue and excellence.

Word by Word

पाण्डोःof Pāṇḍu

तुindeed/but

द्वेtwo

भार्येwives

बभूवतुःbecame/were

कुन्तीKuntī

पृथाPṛthā

नामby name/namely

माद्रीMādrī

चand

इतिthus

उभेboth

स्त्रीरत्नेfemale-gems; excellent women

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍu

Kuntī (Pṛthā)

Mādrī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 frames Kuntī and Mādrī as exemplary spouses—“jewels among women”—highlighting the epic’s ethical emphasis on virtue, dignity, and the moral quality of those who sustain a royal lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies Pāṇḍu’s two queens—Kuntī (also called Pṛthā) and Mādrī—introducing the principal mothers of the Pāṇḍava line and preparing for the subsequent account of their roles in the dynasty’s unfolding.