Shloka 11
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 98 — Paraśurāma’s kṣatriya suppression; Dīrghatamas, Bali, Sudēṣṇā, and the birth of Aṅga
स््नुषा मे भव सुश्रोणि पुत्रार्थ त्वां वृणोम्यहम् । स्नुषापक्षं हि वामोरु त्वमागम्य समाश्रिता,सुश्रोणि! तुम मेरी पुत्रवधू हो जाओ। मैं अपने पुत्रके लिये तुम्हारा वरण करता हूँ; क्योंकि वामोरु! तुमने यहाँ आकर मेरी उसी जाँघका आश्रय लिया है, जो पुत्रवधूके पक्षकी है
pratīpa uvāca |
snuṣā me bhava suśroṇi putrārthaṁ tvāṁ vṛṇomy aham |
snuṣāpakṣaṁ hi vāmoru tvam āgamya samāśritā ||
Pratīpa dijo: «Oh dama de hermosas caderas, sé mi nuera; por mi hijo te elijo. Pues, oh mujer de bellos muslos, has venido aquí y te has acogido al lado de mi muslo que está reservado para una nuera».
प्रतीप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as social propriety: Pratīpa interprets the woman’s act of taking refuge on a particular side of his thigh according to accepted custom, and responds by proposing a relationship that preserves moral and dynastic order—seeking a bride for his son rather than acting from personal desire.
King Pratīpa addresses a mysterious, beautiful woman who has approached him and sat by/leaned upon his thigh. Reading this gesture as a sign associated with a daughter-in-law’s place, he declares that she should become his son’s wife and that he chooses her for his son.