Shloka 85

Devanagari script

परिक्षित्‌ खलु माद्रवरती नामोपयेमे त्वन्मातरम्‌ | तस्यां भवान्‌ जनमेजय: ॥। ८५ || अश्वत्थामाके अस्त्रकी अग्निसे झुलसकर वह असमयमें (समयसे पहले) ही पैदा हो गया था। उसमें बल, वीर्य और पराक्रम नहीं था। परंतु भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णने उसे अपने तेजसे जीवित कर दिया। इसको जीवित करके वे इस प्रकार बोले--“इस कुलके परिक्षीण (नष्ट) होनेपर इसका जन्म हुआ है; अतः यह बालक परिक्षित्‌ नामसे विख्यात हो”। परिक्षितने तुम्हारी माता माद्रवतीके साथ विवाह किया, जिसके गर्भसे तुम जनमेजय नामक पुत्र उत्पन्न हुए

Transliteration

parīkṣit khalu mādravaratī nāmopayeme tvanmātaram | tasyāṃ bhavān janamejayaḥ || 85 ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Indeed, Parīkṣit married your mother, who was known as Mādravaratī. From her, you were born—Janamejaya.” In this lineage-summary, the narrator anchors Janamejaya’s identity in lawful marriage and succession, underscoring continuity of dharma after the devastation of the Kuru war.

Word by Word

परिक्षित्Parikṣit

खलुindeed, surely

माद्रवतीMādravatī (name of a woman)

नामby name, named

उपयेमेmarried, took (as wife)

त्वत्your

मातरम्mother

तस्याम्in her, in that (woman)

भवान्you (honorific)

जनमेजयःJanamejaya

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Parīkṣit

Mādravaratī

Janamejaya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 dharmic continuity through legitimate marriage and succession: even after catastrophic loss, social and royal order is restored by rightful lineage and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies Janamejaya’s parentage: King Parīkṣit married Janamejaya’s mother, Mādravaratī, and Janamejaya was born from her—linking the listener-king to the Kuru royal line.