Shloka 12
Śānti-parva Adhyāya 30: Nārada–Parvata Samaya-bhaṅga, Śāpa, and the Marriage of Sukumārī
ततः कदाचित्तौ राजा महात्मानौ तपोधनौ । अब्रवीत् परमप्रीत: सुतेयं वरवर्णिनी
tataḥ kadācittau rājā mahātmānau tapodhanau | abravīt paramaprītaḥ sute yaṃ varavarṇinī ||
Then, on a certain occasion, the king, filled with supreme delight, spoke to those two great-souled men rich in austerity: “O fair-complexioned one, this son of yours…”
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical ideal that true worth is linked to inner excellence—tapas (austerity/discipline) and mahātmyā (nobility of soul). A king’s joy and speech are framed by reverence for ascetic merit and by concern for rightful lineage, suggesting that social authority should honor spiritual discipline and moral character.
A narrative turn occurs: at some point the king, in a state of great pleasure, begins addressing a woman (called ‘varavarṇinī’) about ‘this son of yours.’ The line functions as the opening of a longer statement—likely praise, identification, or a consequential announcement regarding the child.