Shloka 18
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 98 — Paraśurāma’s kṣatriya suppression; Dīrghatamas, Bali, Sudēṣṇā, and the birth of Aṅga
(प्रतीपस्य तु भारयायां गर्भ: श्रीमानवर्धत । श्रिया परमया युक्त: शरच्छुक्ले यथा शशी ।। ततस्तु दशमे मासि प्राजायत रविप्रभम् । कुमार देवगर्भाभ॑ प्रतीपमहिषी तदा ।।) तयो: समभवत् पुत्रो वृद्धयो: स महाभिष:,प्रतीपकी पत्नीकी कुक्षिमें एक तेजस्वी गर्भका आविर्भाव हुआ, जो शरद-ऋतुके शुक्ल पक्षमें परम कान्तिमान् चन्द्रमाकी भाँति प्रतिदिन बढ़ने लगा। तदनन्तर दसवाँ मास प्राप्त होनेपर प्रतीपकी महारानीने एक देवोषम पुत्रको जन्म दिया, जो सूर्यके समान प्रकाशमान था। उन बूढ़े राजदम्पतिके यहाँ पूर्वोक्त राजा महाभिष ही पुत्ररूपमें उत्पन्न हुए
pratīpasya tu bhāryāyāṃ garbhaḥ śrīmān avardhata | śriyā paramayā yuktaḥ śaracchukle yathā śaśī || tatas tu daśame māsi prājāyata raviprabhām | kumāraṃ devagarbhābhāṃ pratīpamahīṣī tadā || tayoḥ samabhavat putro vṛddhayoḥ sa mahābhiṣaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: In Pratīpa’s queen a radiant embryo grew, endowed with supreme splendor—like the moon waxing in the bright fortnight of autumn. Then, when the tenth month arrived, the chief queen of Pratīpa gave birth to a boy shining like the sun, bearing the marks of a divine conception. Thus, to that aged royal couple, the very king Mahābhiṣa was born again as their son—an auspicious sign that greatness and responsibility may return to the world through lawful lineage and divine ordinance.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes auspicious, dharmic kingship arising through legitimate lineage and divine order: extraordinary rulers may return to the world when conditions are ripe, and their birth is framed as a sign of responsibility rather than mere privilege.
Vaiśampāyana describes how Pratīpa’s aged queen conceives and bears a son of sun-like brilliance; this child is identified as the former king Mahābhiṣa, now born again as their son.