Shloka 65
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
क्षेमोग्रतीर्थ: कुहर: कलिज्ेषु नराधिप: । मतिमांश्व मनुष्येन्द्र ईश्वरश्वेति विश्वुत:ः,मद्रक, क्णवेष्ट, सिद्धार्थ, कीटक, सुवीर, सुबाहु, महावीर, बाह्लिक, क्रथ, विचित्र, सुरथ, श्रीमान् नील नरेश, चीरवासा, भूमिपाल, दन्तवक्त्र, दानव दुर्जय, नृपश्रेष्ठ रुक्मी, राजा जनमेजय, आषाढ, वायुवेग, भूरितेजा, एकलव्य, सुमित्र, वाटधान, गोमुख, करूषदेशके अनेक राजा, क्षेमधूर्ति, श्रुतायु, उद्वह, बृहत्सेन, क्षेम, उग्रतीर्थ, कलिंग-नरेश कुहर तथा परम बुद्धिमान् मनुष्योंका राजा ईश्वर
Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | kṣemogratīrthaḥ kuharaḥ kaliṅgeṣu narādhipaḥ | matimāṃś ca manuṣyendra īśvaraś ceti viśrutaḥ | madrakaḥ kṛṇaveṣṭaḥ siddhārthaḥ kīṭakaḥ suvīraḥ subāhuḥ mahāvīraḥ bāhlikaḥ krathaḥ vicitraḥ surathaḥ śrīmān nīla-nareśaḥ cīravāsā bhūmipālaḥ dantavaktraḥ dānava-durjayaḥ nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ rukmī rājā janamejayaḥ āṣāḍhaḥ vāyuvegaḥ bhūritejā ekalavyaḥ sumitraḥ vāṭadhānaḥ gomukhaḥ karūṣadeśakāś ca aneke rājānaḥ | kṣemadhūrtiḥ śrutāyuḥ udvahaḥ bṛhatsenāḥ kṣemaḥ ugratīrthaḥ kaliṅga-nareśaḥ kuharaḥ tathā parama-buddhimān manuṣyāṇāṃ rājā īśvaraḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : Parmi les rois de Kaliṅga se trouvaient Kuhara et Kṣema-Ugratīrtha ; et il y avait aussi le souverain fameux Īśvara, célébré comme un seigneur d’intelligence suprême parmi les hommes. Avec eux vinrent bien d’autres monarques—Madraka, Kṛṇaveṣṭa, Siddhārtha, Kīṭaka, Suvīra, Subāhu, Mahāvīra, Bāhlika, Kratha, Vicitra, Suratha, l’illustre roi Nīla, Cīravāsā, Bhūmipāla, Dantavaktra, Dānava-Durjaya, l’éminent roi Rukmī, le roi Janamejaya, Āṣāḍha, Vāyuvega, Bhūritejā, Ekalavya, Sumitra, Vāṭadhāna, Gomukha, et de nombreux souverains du pays de Karūṣa—ainsi que Kṣemadhūrti, Śrutāyu, Udvaha, Bṛhatsena et d’autres encore. Ainsi le récit énumère les rois assemblés, mettant en relief l’étendue de la puissance royale et la renommée attachée à la sagesse et à la seigneurie.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily functions as an enumeration, but it implicitly highlights a Mahābhārata theme: worldly power is widespread and impressive, yet it is remembered through reputation—especially wisdom (mati) and rightful sovereignty (īśvaratva). Renown is tied not only to might but also to the qualities by which rulers are known.
Vaiśaṃpāyana is listing kings and rulers—especially connected with Kaliṅga and other regions—who are being brought into the account as part of a larger catalogue of royal figures. The passage situates the story within a broad political map by naming many monarchs and their lands.