Shloka 19

आस्तीक-उपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः | Introduction to the Āstīka Narrative

Devanagari script

अस्माकं संततिस्त्वेको जरत्कारुरिति स्मृत: । मन्दभाग्यो5ल्‍्पभाग्यानां तप एव समास्थित:,हमारी एक संतति बच गयी है, जिसका नाम है जरत्कारु। हम भाग्यहीनोंकी वह अभागी संतान केवल तपस्यामें ही संलग्न है

Transliteration

asmākaṁ santatis tv eko jaratkārur iti smṛtaḥ | mandabhāgyo ’lpabhāgyānāṁ tapa eva samāsthitaḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka said: “Of our lineage, only one descendant remains, remembered by the name Jaratkāru. Ill-fated—born among the scantily fortunate—he has taken his stand solely in austerity.”

Word by Word

अस्माकम्of us/our

संततिःoffspring/lineage

तुbut/indeed

एकःone/single

जरत्कारुःJaratkāru (name)

इतिthus

स्मृतःis known/remembered (as)

मन्दभाग्यःill-fated/unfortunate

अल्पभाग्यानाम्of the little-fortuned (wretches)

तपःausterity/penance

एवonly/indeed

समास्थितःhas taken to/is devoted to

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Jaratkāru

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between ascetic renunciation (tapas) and the responsibility of sustaining one’s lineage—an ethical concern in the Mahābhārata where personal spiritual pursuit can conflict with duties toward family and ancestors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka informs the listeners that only one descendant of their line remains—Jaratkāru—and that he lives devoted solely to austerities, implying anxiety about the continuation of the family line.