Shloka 2
पाण्डोः तपः-प्रसङ्गः, ऋण-धर्मः, अपत्य-प्राप्ति-चिन्ता
Pāṇḍu’s Asceticism, the Doctrine of Debts, and Deliberations on Progeny
पितृष्वस्रीयाय स तामनपत्याय भारत । अग्रयमग्रे प्रतिज्ञाय स्वस्यापत्यं स सत्यवाक्,भारत! सत्यवादी शूरसेनने अपने फुफेरे भाई संतानहीन कुन्तिभोजसे पहले ही यह प्रतिज्ञा कर रखी थी कि मैं तुम्हें अपनी पहली संतान भेंट कर दूँगा
Vaiśampāyana uvāca | pitṛṣvasrīyāya sa tām anapatyāya bhārata | agrayam agre pratijñāya svasya apatyam sa satyavāk ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O Bhārata, that truthful man had earlier pledged that he would give his first-born child to his paternal aunt’s son, who was without offspring. Thus, keeping his prior promise, he resolved to hand over his own first issue—an act grounded in fidelity to one’s word and kinship duty.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as fidelity to one’s pledged word (satya) and responsibility toward kin—especially aiding a childless relative—showing that ethical integrity can require personal sacrifice.
Śūrasena, known for truthfulness, had previously promised his childless cousin Kuntibhoja (his father’s sister’s son) that he would give him his first-born child; the verse recalls that prior pledge as the basis for the later transfer.