Shloka 25
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 115 — Mādri’s request; invocation of the Aśvins; birth and naming of the Pāṇḍavas
जज्ञे क्रमेण चैतेन तेषां दुर्योधनो नृपः । जन्मतस्तु प्रमाणेन ज्येष्ठो राजा युधिछ्िर:,तदनन्तर दो वर्ष बीतनेपर जिस क्रमसे वे गर्भ उन कुण्डोंमें स्थापित किये गये थे, उसी क्रमसे उनमें सबसे पहले राजा दुर्योधन उत्पन्न हुआ। जन्मकालके प्रमाणसे राजा युधिष्ठिर उससे भी ज्येष्ठ थे
jajñe krameṇa caitena teṣāṃ duryodhano nṛpaḥ | janmatas tu pramāṇena jyeṣṭho rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Y en ese mismo orden fueron naciendo uno tras otro; entre ellos, el rey Duryodhana nació primero. Sin embargo, por la medida verdadera del momento del nacimiento, el rey Yudhiṣṭhira era el mayor que él.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes between mere sequence of emergence and the rightful criterion of seniority by actual birth-time, hinting at how claims to precedence and kingship should rest on proper standards rather than convenient appearances.
Vaiśampāyana explains that although Duryodhana appeared first according to the order in which the embryos were arranged, Yudhiṣṭhira is still considered older when judged by the true measure of birth.