Shloka 17
Khāṇḍava-dāha: Indra’s Countermeasures and the Nāga Aśvasena’s Escape (आदि पर्व, अध्याय २१८)
ममैषा भगिनी पार्थ सारणस्य सहोदरा । सुभद्रा नाम भद्रं ते पितुर्में दयिता सुता । यदि ते वर्तते बुद्धिर्वक्ष्यामि पितरं स्वयम्,“कुन्तीनन्दन! यह मेरी बहिन और सारणकी सगी बहिन है, तुम्हारा कल्याण हो, इसका नाम सुभद्रा है। यह मेरे पिताकी बड़ी लाड़िली कन्या है। यदि तुम्हारा विचार इससे ब्याह करनेका हो तो मैं पितासे स्वयं कहूँगा'
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
mamaiṣā bhaginī pārtha sāraṇasya sahodarā |
subhadrā nāma bhadraṁ te pitur meṁ dayitā sutā |
yadi te vartate buddhir vakṣyāmi pitaraṁ svayam |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Pārtha, this is my sister—also the full sister of Sāraṇa. Her name is Subhadrā; may good befall you. She is my father’s dearly beloved daughter. If it is your intention to marry her, I myself will speak to my father.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic social conduct around marriage: intention should be made clear, and elders/guardians are approached openly. It also underscores responsibility within kinship—using family ties to facilitate a rightful alliance rather than acting impulsively.
A speaker identifies Subhadrā to Arjuna (Pārtha), describing her lineage and cherished status in the family, and offers to formally convey Arjuna’s wish to marry her to the father (Vasudeva), indicating a move toward an arranged, socially sanctioned union.