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Shloka 4

सोमक–जन्तु उपाख्यानम्

Somaka–Jantu Exemplar: The Quest for a Hundred Sons

कदाचित्‌ तस्य वृद्धस्य घटमानस्य यत्नतः । जन्तुर्नाम सुतस्तस्मिन्‌ स्त्रीशते समजायत,राजा सोमक वृद्धावस्थामें भी इसके लिये निरन्तर यत्नशील थे; अत: किसी समय उनकी सौ स्ट्रियोंमेंसे किसी एकके गर्भसे एक पुत्र उत्पन्न हुआ, जिसका नाम था जन्तु

kadācit tasya vṛddhasya ghaṭamānasya yatnataḥ | janturnāma sutas tasmin strīśate samajāyata ||

Cierta vez, cuando aquel rey ya anciano seguía esforzándose con tesón, nacióle un hijo entre sus cien esposas. Al niño le dieron el nombre de Jantu.

कदाचित्at some time, once
कदाचित्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचित्
तस्यof him
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
वृद्धस्यof the old (man)
वृद्धस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootवृद्ध
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
घटमानस्यof (him) striving/endeavoring
घटमानस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootघटमान
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Genitive, Singular
यत्नतःwith effort, diligently
यत्नतः:
Karana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्न
जन्तुःJantu (name of the son)
जन्तुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नामby name, named
नाम:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम
सुतःa son
सुतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्मिन्in him / in that (context: in his household/line)
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
स्त्रीशतेamong (his) hundred women
स्त्रीशते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्रीशत
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
समजायतwas born, came into being
समजायत:
TypeVerb
Rootजन्
FormImperfect (लङ्), Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

लोगश उवाच

S
Somaka (king, implied by context)
J
Jantu
T
the hundred wives (strīśata)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the powerful drive for lineage and the persistence of human effort; it also invites ethical reflection on how intense desire for an heir can shape royal decisions and family life.

An aged king, still striving to obtain a son, finally has a child born among his hundred wives; the newborn is named Jantu.