Shloka 20
कुन्ती–व्याससंवादः
Kuntī–Vyāsa Dialogue on Durvāsā’s Boon and Karṇa’s Birth
यानमाच्छादनं भोगान् दासीश्व समलंकृता: । ददौ राजा समुद्दिश्य तयोमत्रोर्महीपति:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | yānam ācchādanaṃ bhogān dāsīś ca samalaṅkṛtāḥ | dadau rājā samuddiśya tayor mātroḥ mahīpatiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The king, lord of the earth, set aside gifts in honor of his two mothers and bestowed conveyances, coverings and garments, various enjoyments, and maidservants adorned with ornaments. In that setting of royal generosity, whatever measure of a thing a person wished to receive, that very measure was made available—an image of orderly charity directed by duty and reverence toward elders.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic kingship expressed through regulated generosity: wealth and comforts are distributed as gifts, and offerings are explicitly dedicated in honor of elders (the king’s mothers), showing that charity is not mere display but a duty guided by reverence and social order.
Vaiśampāyana describes the king arranging and giving substantial provisions—conveyances, garments, comforts, and ornamented attendants—dedicating these gifts to his two mothers. The surrounding description emphasizes abundance and the smooth fulfillment of people’s needs during the distribution.