Shloka 4

Parīkṣit-janma-saṃkaṭa and Kuntī’s petition to Vāsudeva (परिक्षिज्जन्मसंकटं कुन्त्याः प्रार्थना च)

Devanagari script

स गृहीत्वा सुमनसो मन्त्रपूता जनाधिप । मोदकै: पायसेनाथ मांसैश्नोपाहरद्‌ बलिम्‌

Transliteration

sa gṛhītvā sumanaso mantrapūtā janādhipa | modakaiḥ pāyasena atha māṃsaiś ca upāharad balim ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having taken auspicious, mantra-purified offerings, the king then presented the sacrificial tribute—sweet cakes, rice-pudding, and also meats—according to the prescribed rite. The scene underscores a ruler’s duty to uphold ritual order through properly consecrated gifts, emphasizing correctness of intention and procedure in religious giving.

Word by Word

सःhe

गृहीत्वाhaving taken

सुमनसःgood-minded (people), well-disposed ones

मन्त्रपूताःpurified by mantras

जनाधिपO lord of people (king)

मोदकैःwith sweet balls (modakas)

पायसेनwith rice-milk pudding (payasa)

अथthen

मांसैःwith meats

चand

उपाहरत्offered, brought (as an offering)

बलिम्offering, oblation

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

janādhipa (the king, addressed)

modaka

pāyasa

māṃsa

bali (offering/tribute)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 giving in a ritual context: offerings should be properly consecrated (mantra-purified) and presented in the correct manner, reflecting the king’s responsibility to sustain sacred order through disciplined, rule-governed action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the king, after taking auspicious offerings sanctified by mantras, proceeds to present the ritual bali—items such as modakas, pāyasa, and meats—as part of the sacrificial proceedings in the Ashvamedhika setting.