Shloka 18

Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity

Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27

Devanagari script

यस्य बाहुबल नित्य धार्तराष्ट्ररुपासितम्‌

Transliteration

yasya bāhubala nitya dhārtarāṣṭrarupāsitam

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “He whose mighty arm-strength was continually relied upon and served by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.”

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• बाहुबलम्: strength of arms
• बाहुबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहुबल
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• नित्यं: always, constantly
• नित्यं: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• धार्तराष्ट्रैः: by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Kauravas)
• धार्तराष्ट्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• उपासितम्: served, attended, revered
• उपासितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (Kauravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how political factions often become dependent on sheer physical or military power; ethically, it hints at the danger of substituting strength and patronage for righteous counsel and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the lament-filled context of the Strī Parva, the narrator describes a figure whose martial strength was constantly sought and honored by the Dhārtarāṣṭras (Kauravas), underscoring their reliance on force in the events leading to devastation.