Shloka 4

नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्ता तदा गड़ा राजानमिदमतब्रवीत्‌ | भर्तरें जाह्नवी देवी शान्तनुं पुरुषर्षभ

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca—evam uktā tadā Gaṅgā rājānam idam abravīt | bhartāraṃ Jāhnavī devī Śāntanuṃ puruṣarṣabha ||

Translation

વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા—હે પુરુષશ્રેષ્ઠ! આ રીતે પૂછવામાં આવતાં તે સમયે જાહ્નવી દેવી ગંગાએ પોતાના પતિ રાજા શાંતનુને આ વચન કહ્યું।

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्ता: having been addressed / spoken to
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (kta)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतत्: that (not this) / that very (emphatic contrast)
• अतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said / spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भर्तरम्: husband
• भर्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā, daughter of Jahnu)
• जाह्नवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शान्तनुम्: Śāntanu
• शान्तनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men (best of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī)
• Śāntanu
• Janamejaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical speech within rightful relationships: a king’s inquiry and a wife’s (here, a goddess’s) response occur within the bounds of marital and royal dharma, emphasizing accountability, respectful address, and the gravity of forthcoming disclosure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues the story for King Janamejaya: after being questioned, Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) begins her reply to her husband King Śāntanu, marking a transition into her explanation of prior events.