Shloka 25

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च

Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration

Devanagari script

ऋक्ष: खलु तक्षकदुहितरमुपयेमे ज्वालां नाम । तस्‍यां पुत्र॑ मतिनारं नामोत्पादयामास,ऋक्षने तक्षककी पुत्री ज्वालाके साथ विवाह किया और उसके गर्भसे मतिनार नामक पुत्रको उत्पन्न किया

Transliteration

Ṛkṣaḥ khalu Takṣakaduḥitaram upayeme Jvālāṃ nāma | tasyāṃ putraṃ Matināraṃ nāmotpādayāmāsa |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Ṛkṣa indeed married Jvālā, the daughter of Takṣaka; and through her he begot a son named Matināra. The verse situates Matināra’s birth within a lawful marital union, underscoring the Mahābhārata’s concern for legitimate lineage and the continuity of dynastic order (dharma) through sanctioned relationships.

Word by Word

ऋक्षःṚkṣa (a person named Ṛkṣa)

खलुindeed, surely

तक्षक-दुहितरम्the daughter of Takṣaka

उपयेमेmarried, took (as wife)

ज्वालाम्Jvālā (name of the woman)

नामby name

तस्याम्in her

पुत्रम्a son

मतिनारम्Matināra (proper name)

नामby name

उत्पादयामासbegot, produced

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Ṛ

Ṛkṣa

Takṣaka

Jvālā

Matināra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic continuity through lawful marriage and legitimate progeny, presenting genealogy as a moral-social framework that sustains order and inheritance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a genealogical link: Ṛkṣa marries Jvālā, Takṣaka’s daughter, and they have a son named Matināra.