Shloka 26
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च
Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration
मतिनार: खलु सरस्वत्यां गुणसमन्वितं द्वादशवार्षिकं सत्रमाहरत् | समाप्ते च सत्रे सरस्वत्य-भिगम्य तं भर्तारें वरयामास । तस्यां पुत्रमजीजनत् तंसुं नाम,मतिनारने सरस्वतीके तटपर उत्तम गुणोंसे युक्त द्वादशवार्षिक यज्ञका अनुष्ठान किया। उसके समाप्त होनेपर सरस्वतीने उनके पास आकर उन्हें पतिरूपमें वरण किया। मतिनारने उसके गर्भसे तंसु नामक पुत्र उत्पन्न किया
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Matināraḥ khalu Sarasvatyāṃ guṇasamanvitaṃ dvādaśavārṣikaṃ satram āharat. Samāpte ca satre Sarasvatī abhigamya taṃ bhartāraṃ varayāmāsa. Tasyāṃ putram ajījanat Taṃsuṃ nāma.
Vaiśampāyana said: Matināra performed on the Sarasvatī a twelve-year sacrificial session (satra), endowed with excellence and proper qualities. When that rite was completed, the goddess Sarasvatī approached him and chose him as her husband. From her he begot a son named Taṃsu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the Mahābhārata’s valuation of sustained Vedic discipline: a king’s long, well-qualified sacrificial observance is portrayed as generating both religious merit and social legitimacy, even attracting divine favor and ensuring lineage continuity.
In a genealogical account, Matināra performs a twelve-year satra on the Sarasvatī. After its completion, Sarasvatī approaches and chooses him as husband, and their union results in the birth of a son named Taṃsu.