Shloka 31
Duḥṣanta at Kaṇva-Āśrama; Śakuntalā’s Reception and Origin Prelude (दुःषन्तस्य कण्वाश्रमागमनम्)
सिंहिका सुषुवे पुत्र॑ राहुं चन्द्रार्कमर्टनम् । सुचन्द्रं चन्द्रहर्तारं तथा चन्द्रप्रमर्दनम्,सिंहिकाने राहु नामक पुत्रको उत्पन्न किया, जो चन्द्रमा और सूर्यका मान-मर्दन करनेवाला है। इसके सिवा सुचन्द्र, चन्द्रहर्ता तथा चन्द्रप्रमर्दनको भी उसीने जन्म दिया
siṁhikā suṣuve putraṁ rāhuṁ candrārkamardanam | sucandraṁ candrahartāraṁ tathā candrapramardanam ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Siṁhikā dio a luz a un hijo llamado Rāhu, célebre por humillar a la Luna y al Sol. También engendró a Sucandra, a Candrahartā (el “ladrón de la Luna”) y a Candrapramardana (el “triturador de la Luna”).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames cosmic disruption (eclipses, the ‘seizing’ of Sun and Moon) as arising from a hostile, demonic lineage, reinforcing the Mahābhārata’s moral imagination: forces aligned with adharma seek to obscure light and order, while dharma is associated with sustaining clarity and stability in the world.
Vaiśampāyana continues a genealogical account, stating that Siṁhikā bore Rāhu—described as one who oppresses the Moon and Sun—and also bore three other named beings associated with harming or seizing the Moon: Sucandra, Candrahartā, and Candrapramardana.