Shloka 57
धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः
Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue
जामदग्न्यं महात्मानं भारद्वाजोडब्रवीदिदम् | भरद्वाजात् समुत्पन्नं तथा त्वं मामयोनिजम्
jāmadagnyaṁ mahātmānaṁ bhāradvājo 'bravīd idam | bharadvājāt samutpannaṁ tathā tvaṁ mām ayonijam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Bhāradvāja addressed the great-souled Jāmadagnya, saying: “You are born from Bhāradvāja; and likewise I am not womb-born.” The statement underscores the sanctity of spiritual lineage and extraordinary birth, grounding authority not merely in biology but in ascetic power and dharmic transmission.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that spiritual authority and identity in the epic tradition can rest on ṛṣi-lineage and tapas-born origins, not only on ordinary biological birth; dharmic legitimacy is tied to sacred transmission and extraordinary generation.
Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, Bhāradvāja addresses Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma), identifying him as arising from Bhāradvāja and stating that he himself is ‘ayonija’—not womb-born—thereby establishing a special lineage and context for the ensuing account.