Shloka 51

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

।। ऋतुर्मातुः पितुर्बीजं दैवतं परमं पति:

Transliteration

ṛtur mātuḥ pitur bījaṃ daivataṃ paramaṃ patiḥ

Translation

Nakula said: “The mother’s season (fertile time), the father’s seed, and the husband—who is the supreme divine authority for her—are the decisive factors in the begetting of offspring.”

Word by Word

• ऋतुः: season; (also) menstrual/appropriate time
• ऋतुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मातुः: of the mother
• मातुः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बीजम्: seed; semen
• बीजम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दैवतं: deity; divine factor
• दैवतं: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परमम्: supreme; highest
• परमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पतिः: lord; husband; master
• पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• mother (mātṛ)
• father (pitṛ)
• husband (pati)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames conception as governed by proper timing (ṛtu), paternal seed (bīja), and the husband’s authoritative role (pati as parama-daivata), reflecting a dharma-based view of family and procreation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula is speaking within a discussion on dharma and household norms, emphasizing traditional factors and authority structures associated with begetting children.