Shloka 19

Devanagari script

शान्तस्य जज्ञे संतानस्तस्मादासीत्‌ स शान्तनु: । शान्त पिताकी संतान होनेसे वे शान्तनु कहलाये। (तस्य जातस्य कृत्यानि प्रतीपो5कारयत्‌ प्रभु: । जातकर्मादि विप्रेण वेदोक्तै: कर्मभिस्तदा ।। शक्तिशाली राजा प्रतीपने उस बालकके आवश्यक कृत्य (संस्कार) करवाये। ब्राह्मण पुरोहितने वेदोक्त क्रियाओंद्वारा उसके जात-कर्म आदि सम्पन्न किये। नामकर्म च वितप्रास्तु चक्र: परमसत्कृतम्‌ । शान्तनोरवनीपाल वेदोक्तै: कर्मभिस्तदा ।। जनमेजय! तदनन्तर बहुत-से ब्राह्मणोंने मिलकर वेदोक्त विधियोंके अनुसार शान्तनुका नामकरण-संस्कार भी किया। ततः संवर्धितो राजा शान्तनुलोकपालक: । स तु लेभे परां निष्ठां प्राप्य धर्मविदां वर: ।। धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च गतिं स परमां गत: । यौवन चापि सम्प्राप्त: कुमारो वदतां वर: ।।) तत्पश्चात्‌ बड़े होनेपर राजकुमार शान्तनु लोकरक्षाका कार्य करने लगे। वे धर्मज्ञोंमें श्रेष्ठ थे। उन्होंने धनुर्वेदमें उत्तम योग्यता प्राप्त करके वेदाध्ययनमें भी ऊँची स्थिति प्राप्त की। वक्ताओंमें सर्वश्रेष्ठ वे राजकुमार धीरे-धीरे युवावस्थामें पहुँच गये। संस्मरंश्षाक्षयाँललोकान्‌ विजातान्‌ स्वेन कर्मणा,अपने सत्कर्मोद्वारा उपार्जित अक्षय पुण्यलोकोंका स्मरण करके कुरुश्रेष्ठ शान्तनु सदा पुण्यकर्मोंके अनुष्ठानमें ही लगे रहते थे। युवावस्थामें पहुँचे हुए राजकुमार शान्तनुको राजा प्रतीपने आदेश दिया--

Transliteration

śāntasya jajñe saṃtānas tasmād āsīt sa śāntanuḥ |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: From Śānta was born a son; therefore he came to be known as Śāntanu. The name reflects a moral ideal: a ruler’s identity is grounded in the virtue and serenity (śānti) embodied in his lineage, and his life is framed by Vedic rites and disciplined conduct that prepare him for the protection of the world and the practice of dharma.

Word by Word

शान्तस्यof Śānta (the calm one / Śānta)

जज्ञेwas born / came into being

संतानःoffspring, descendant, son

तस्मात्from him; therefore/from that

आसीत्was

सःhe

शान्तनुःŚāntanu (proper name)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Śānta

Śāntanu

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?

A ruler’s legitimacy is tied to virtue and disciplined formation: the very naming of Śāntanu is presented as arising from śānti (serenity/rightness), implying that ethical character and dharmic grounding precede political power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Śānta’s son is born and is called Śāntanu on that account; the surrounding passage (in the Gītā Press context) continues with his Vedic rites and education, preparing him for righteous kingship.