Shloka 20
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
राजन! उस नदीके गर्भसे राजाके द्वारा एक कमललोचना कन्या उत्पन्न हुई जो नामसे तो सुदर्शना थी ही, रूपसे भी सुदर्शना (सुन्दर एवं दर्शनीय) थी ।।
rājan! us nadīke garbhase rājake dvārā eka kamalalocanā kanyā utpannā huī yā nāmato 'pi sudarśanā āsīt, rūpato 'pi sudarśanā (sundarī ca darśanīyā) āsīt. tādṛg-rūpā na nārīṣu bhūtapūrvā yudhiṣṭhira. duryodhana-sutā yādṛg abhavad varavarṇinī.
Bhishma berkata: Wahai Raja! Dari kandungan sungai itu—melalui perantaraan sang raja—lahirlah seorang gadis bermata teratai. Namanya Sudarśanā, dan dalam rupa pun ia benar-benar ‘Sudarśanā’: indah dan patut dipandang. Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira! Di antara perempuan, wujud seperti itu belum pernah ada sebelumnya. Demikianlah putri Duryodhana, berkulit cerah dan berparas luar biasa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves a narrative-ethical function: it frames extraordinary beauty as a noteworthy sign within royal and social discourse, while reminding the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira) that such exceptional qualities are rare and often tied to questions of lineage, destiny, and the responsibilities that follow.
Bhīṣma describes the birth of a lotus-eyed maiden named Sudarśanā, said to have arisen from a river’s womb through a king’s agency, and emphasizes that no woman of such beauty had been seen before; he identifies her as Duryodhana’s fair-complexioned daughter.