Shloka 87

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च

Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration

Devanagari script

एष पूरोर्वश: पाण्डवानां च कीर्तितः; धन्य: पुण्य: परमपवित्र: सततं श्रोतव्यो ब्राह्मणैर्नियम-वद्धिरनन्तरं क्षत्रियैः स्वधर्मनिरतैः प्रजापालन-तत्परैरवैश्यैरपि च श्रोतव्योडधिगम्यश्न तथा शूद्रैरपि त्रिवर्णशुश्रूषुभि: श्रद्दधानैरिति,यह पूरु तथा पाण्डवोंके वंशका वर्णन किया गया; जो धन और पुण्यकी प्राप्ति करानेवाला एवं परम पवित्र है, नियमपरायण ब्राह्मणों, अपने धर्ममें स्थित प्रजापालक क्षत्रियों, वैश्यों तथा तीनों वर्णोंकी सेवा करनेवाले श्रद्धालु शूद्रोंकी भी सदा इसका श्रवण एवं स्वाध्याय करना चाहिये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | eṣa pūror vaṃśaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca kīrtitaḥ; dhanyaḥ puṇyaḥ paramapavitraḥ satataṃ śrotavyo brāhmaṇair niyama-vaddhir anantaraṃ kṣatriyaiḥ svadharma-nirataiḥ prajā-pālana-tatparair vaiśyair api ca śrotavyo ’dhigamyaś ca tathā śūdrair api tri-varṇa-śuśrūṣubhiḥ śraddadhānaiḥ iti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Thus has the lineage of Pūru—and of the Pāṇḍavas—been recounted. It is auspicious, merit-bestowing, and supremely purifying. It should always be heard by Brahmins devoted to discipline; likewise by Kṣatriyas steadfast in their own duty and intent on protecting the people; it should also be heard and studied by Vaiśyas; and likewise by Śūdras too—those faithful ones who are devoted to serving the three higher varṇas.”

Word by Word

एषःthis

पूरोःof Puru

वंशःlineage

पाण्डवानाम्of the Pandavas

चand

कीर्तितःhas been narrated/celebrated

धन्यःbringing prosperity/auspicious

पुण्यःmeritorious/holy

परमपवित्रःsupremely purifying

सततम्always/constantly

श्रोतव्यःto be heard; should be listened to

ब्राह्मणैःby Brahmins

नियमवद्धिःobserving restraints/discipline

अनन्तरम्thereafter/next

क्षत्रियैःby Kshatriyas

स्वधर्मनिरतैःdevoted to their own duty

प्रजापालनतत्परैःintent on protecting the subjects

वैश्यैःby Vaishyas

अपिalso/even

चand

श्रोतव्यःshould be listened to

अधिगम्यhaving learned/understood

चand

स्वाध्यायःself-study/recitation

तथाlikewise/so too

शूद्रैःby Shudras

अपिalso/even

त्रिवर्णशुश्रूषुभिःdesirous of serving the three varnas

श्रद्दधानैःfaithful/believing

इतिthus (end-quote marker)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pūru

Pāṇḍavas

Brāhmaṇas

Kṣatriyas

Vaiśyas

Śūdras

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 teaches that hearing and studying the sacred lineage narrative (Pūru and the Pāṇḍavas) is inherently auspicious and purifying, and that engagement with it is recommended across social duties—each group aligned with its dharma—emphasizing śravaṇa (listening) and adhigama (study) as ethical-spiritual practices.

What is happening in the narrative?

After completing the recitation of the Pūru–Pāṇḍava genealogy, the narrator Vaiśampāyana concludes with a phalaśruti-like statement, praising the account’s merit and prescribing its continual hearing/study by Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and faithful Śūdras devoted to service.