Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

ओदनं कुम्भश: कृत्वा पुरोधा: समुपाहरत्‌ । ब्राह्मणेभ्य: सहस्राणि गवां दत्त्वा तु भूमिप:

Transliteration

odanaṃ kumbhaśaḥ kṛtvā purodhāḥ samupāharat | brāhmaṇebhyaḥ sahasrāṇi gavāṃ dattvā tu bhūmipaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having prepared cooked rice in pots, the royal priest brought it forth; and the king, having bestowed thousands of cows upon the Brahmins, proceeded in accordance with the rites—affirming the ethic of generosity and support of sacred learning through rightful giving.

Word by Word

ओदनम्cooked rice, food

कुम्भशःby pots; potfuls (in pots)

कृत्वाhaving made/prepared

पुरोधाःthe family priest

समुपाहरत्brought/placed (offered) near; presented

ब्राह्मणेभ्यःto the Brahmins

सहस्राणिthousands

गवाम्of cows

दत्त्वाhaving given

तुbut/indeed

भूमिपःthe king (lord of the earth)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

purodhā (royal priest)

bhūmipa (king)

brāhmaṇas (Brahmins)

odana (cooked rice)

kumbha (pots)

gāvaḥ (cows)

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 kingship expressed through dāna: supporting Brahmins and ritual order by giving wealth (cows) and providing offerings (food), showing that power is to be exercised with generosity and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the course of a royal rite, the priest arranges prepared food (odana) in pots for distribution/offerings, while the king donates thousands of cows to the Brahmins as prescribed gifts accompanying the ceremony.