Shloka 20

Jarā’s Account and the Enthronement of Jarāsandha (जरासंधोत्पत्तिः अभिषेकश्च)

Devanagari script

विषयेषु निमग्नस्य तस्य यौवनमभ्यगात्‌

Transliteration

viṣayeṣu nimagnasya tasya yauvanam abhyagāt |

Translation

Absorbé par les objets des sens, sa jeunesse s’écoula ; pourtant il n’obtint pas de fils pour poursuivre la lignée. Bien que ce roi éminent accomplît maints rites fastes—oblations, sacrifices au feu et le putreṣṭi (sacrifice pour obtenir un fils)—il ne gagna toujours pas l’enfant qui eût fait croître la dynastie.

Word by Word

• विषयेषु: in sense-objects
• विषयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• निमग्नस्य: of (one) immersed/sunk
• निमग्नस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यगात्: passed away / went by
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Aorist (simple past), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

कृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa (speaker)
• a king (unnamed in the provided excerpt)
• putreṣṭi-yajña (son-seeking sacrifice)
• homa (fire-offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment to sense-pleasures can consume one’s best years and obstruct dharmic goals; ritual acts alone, without inner discipline and right living, do not guarantee the intended results.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa describes a king whose youth passed while he remained engrossed in enjoyments; despite performing many auspicious rites, homas, and the putreṣṭi sacrifice, he still did not obtain a son to continue and expand his dynasty.