Shloka 68
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
यस्त्वासीद् देवको नाम देवराजसमझ्युति: । स गन्धर्वपतिर्मुख्य: क्षितौ जज्ञे नराधिप:,इन्द्रके समान कान्तिमान् राजा देवकके रूपमें इस पृथ्वीपर श्रेष्ठ गन्धर्वराज ही उत्पन्न हुआ था
yastvāsīd devako nāma devarājasamadyutiḥ | sa gandharvapatiḥ mukhyaḥ kṣitau jajñe narādhipaḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: Dia yang dahulu bernama Devaka, bercahaya laksana raja para dewa (Indra), terlahir di bumi sebagai penguasa di antara manusia—pemimpin utama para Gandharva.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ideal of kingship: true sovereignty is associated with inner and outer brilliance—eminence, dignity, and excellence—likened to Indra’s radiance, implying that noble qualities can manifest across realms (divine to human) through birth and destiny.
Vaiśampāyana continues a genealogical/mythic account, stating that a being named Devaka—chief among the Gandharvas and radiant like Indra—took birth on earth as a human king.