Shloka 21

Devanagari script

नियमपूर्वक उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले राजा अश्वपतिने किसी समय अपनी धर्मपरायणा बड़ी रानीमें गर्भ स्थापित किया

Transliteration

niyamapūrvakaṃ uttama-vratasya pālanaṃ kurvataḥ rājñaḥ aśvapateḥ kadācit dharmaparāyaṇāyāṃ jyeṣṭhāyāṃ mahīṣyāṃ garbhaḥ pratiṣṭhāpitaḥ

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: King Aśvapati, who observed excellent vows with disciplined regularity, once caused conception in his eldest queen, a woman devoted to dharma—thus setting in motion a righteous lineage and the moral responsibilities that follow from kingship and household duty.

Word by Word

• नियमपूर्वकम्: according to rule; with prescribed observances
• नियमपूर्वकम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियमपूर्वक
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• उत्तम: excellent, best
• उत्तम: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular (agreeing with व्रतम्)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• पालनम्: observance, keeping (of a vow)
• पालनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• कुर्वाणः: doing; performing
• कुर्वाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present active participle, masculine, nominative, singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• अश्वपतिः: Aśvapati (lord of horses; proper name)
• अश्वपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वपति
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• कदाचित्: once; at some time
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• धर्मपरायणाम्: devoted to dharma; righteous
• धर्मपरायणाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मपरायण
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular (agreeing with रानीम्)

• बृहतीम्: great; eminent
• बृहतीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहती
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular (agreeing with रानीम्)

• रानीम्: queen
• रानीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रानी
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• गर्भम्: embryo; conception; pregnancy
• गर्भम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• अस्थापयत्: placed; caused to be established (implanted)
• अस्थापयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (caus. स्थापय)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), causative, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Aśvapati
• the eldest queen (jyeṣṭhā mahīṣī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds disciplined observance (niyama) and noble vows (vrata) as foundations of righteous kingship and household life, implying that even personal acts like begetting offspring are ideally aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Markandeya narrates that King Ashvapati, known for strict observance of vows, once impregnated his eldest queen who is devoted to dharma—introducing the beginning of a significant birth within the story.