Shloka 18

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

सुभगा खलु कौसल्या यस्या:पुत्रोडभिषेक्ष्यते कुतो हि तव सौभाग्य यस्या: पुत्रो न राज्यभाक्‌

Transliteration

subhagā khalu kausalyā yasyāḥ putro 'bhiṣekṣyate | kuto hi tava saubhāgyaṁ yasyāḥ putro na rājyabhāk ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya dit : «Vraiment, Kausalyā est fortunée, car son fils doit être consacré roi. Comment donc y aurait-il bonheur pour toi, quand ton fils n’est pas destiné à prendre part à la souveraineté ?»

Word by Word

• सुभगा: fortunate
• सुभगा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु

• कौसल्या: Kausalyā
• कौसल्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्याः: whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिषेक्ष्यते: will be consecrated/anointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच्
• Form: Future, Passive, Third, Singular

• कुतः: whence/how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• तव: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सौभाग्यम्: good fortune
• सौभाग्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यस्याः: whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• राज्यभाक्: a sharer/possessor of the kingdom (one who gets kingship)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य-भाज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kausalyā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links perceived ‘fortune’ to dharmic and social outcomes—especially rightful succession and kingship—suggesting that public legitimacy (abhisheka) is treated as a visible marker of auspicious destiny, while lack of sovereignty is framed as a sign of diminished worldly fortune.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya contrasts two mothers by pointing to their sons’ political destinies: one is praised as blessed because her son is about to be anointed king, while the other is questioned for claiming good fortune when her son will not obtain royal power.