Shloka 48

Śakuntalā-Janma-Nāmakaraṇa (Birth and Naming of Śakuntalā) | शकुन्तला-जन्म-नामकरणम्

Devanagari script

जमदम्नेस्तु चत्वार आसन पुत्रा महात्मन: । रामस्तेषां जघन्यो5भूदजघन्यैर्गुणैर्युत: । सर्वशस्त्रेषु कुशल: क्षत्रियान्तकरो वशी,महात्मा जमदग्निके चार पुत्र थे, जिनमें परशुरामजी सबसे छोटे थे; किंतु उनके गुण छोटे नहीं थे। वे श्रेष्ठ सदगुणोंसे विभूषित थे, सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रविद्यामें कुशल, क्षत्रिय-कुलका संहार करनेवाले तथा जितेन्द्रिय थे

Transliteration

jamadagnestu catvāra āsan putrā mahātmanaḥ | rāmastēṣāṁ jaghanyo 'bhūd ajaghanyair guṇair yutaḥ | sarvaśastreṣu kuśalaḥ kṣatriyāntakaro vaśī |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Le magnanime Jamadagni eut quatre fils. Parmi eux, Rāma était le plus jeune par la naissance, mais nullement le moindre par l’excellence : il était pourvu de vertus éminentes. Il était habile en toutes disciplines d’armes, dompteur de l’ordre des kṣatriya et maître de lui-même.

Word by Word

जमदग्नेःof Jamadagni

तुbut/indeed

चत्वारःfour

आसन्were

पुत्राःsons

महात्मनःof the great-souled (sage)

रामःRama (Parashurama)

तेषाम्of them

जघन्यःthe youngest/last-born

अभूत्became/was

अजघन्यैःwith non-inferior (excellent)

गुणैःqualities/virtues

युतःendowed/possessed (with)

सर्वशस्त्रेषुin all weapons/weapon-skills

कुशलःskilled

क्षत्रियान्तकरःdestroyer of the Kshatriyas

वशीself-controlled/masterful

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Jamadagni

Rāma (Paraśurāma)

the four sons of Jamadagni

kṣatriyas

śastra (weapons/martial disciplines)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Birth order does not determine worth: though Rāma is the youngest, he is portrayed as foremost in virtue, discipline, and mastery. The verse also links ethical self-control (vaśī) with the responsible use of power and martial expertise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces Jamadagni’s sons and highlights Rāma (Paraśurāma) as exceptional—skilled in all weapons and destined to become an 'ender of kṣatriyas,' foreshadowing his later conflict with the warrior class.