Shloka 15

Varuṇābhiṣeka–Agni-anveṣaṇa–Kaubera-tīrtha

Varuṇa’s Consecration; Search for Agni; Kaubera Sacred Site

Devanagari script

कुक्कुटिका शड्खलिका तथा शकुनिका नृप । कुण्डारिका कौकुलिका कुम्भिकाथ शतोदरी

Transliteration

kukkutikā śaḍkhalikā tathā śakunikā nṛpa | kuṇḍārikā kaukulikā kumbhikātha śatodarī ||

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja, (di sana ada) Kukkutikā, Śaḍkhalikā, dan Śakunikā; Kuṇḍārikā, Kaukulikā, Kumbhikā, serta Śatodarī.”

Word by Word

कुक्कुटिकाa hen (female fowl); (name of a creature)

शङ्खलिकाShankhalikā (proper name; lit. 'chain-like')

तथाand also; likewise

शकुनिकाShakunikā (proper name; lit. 'bird-like')

नृपO king

कुण्डारिकाKuṇḍārikā (proper name)

कौकुलिकाKaukulikā (proper name)

कुम्भिकाKumbhikā (proper name; lit. 'pot-like')

अथthen; and further

शतोदरीShatodarī (proper name; lit. 'having a hundred bellies')

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Janamejaya (implied by nṛpa)

Kukkutikā

Śaḍkhalikā

Śakunikā

Kuṇḍārikā

Kaukulikā

Kumbhikā

Śatodarī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This verse is primarily enumerative rather than didactic: it preserves names within the epic’s record. Its implicit value is fidelity to testimony—careful narration and remembrance of persons within the larger moral history of the war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana, addressing the king (Janamejaya), lists a sequence of named women (proper names) as part of a longer catalogue in this section of Śalya Parva.