Shloka 3
Kuvalāśva’s Lineage and Uttaṅka’s Petition concerning Dhundhu (धुन्धु-प्रसङ्गः)
“अयोध्यायामिक्ष्वाकुकुलोद्वह: पार्थिव: परिक्षिन्नाम मृगयामगमत्,'अयोध्यापुरीमें इक्ष्वाकुकुलके धुरंधर वीर राजा परीक्षित् रहते थे। वे एक दिन शिकार खेलनेके लिये गये
ayodhyāyām ikṣvākukula-udvahaḥ pārthivaḥ parikṣit-nāma mṛgayām agamat |
Vaiśampāyana said: In Ayodhyā there lived a king named Parikṣit, a foremost bearer of the Ikṣvāku lineage. One day he went out on a hunt—an episode that sets the stage for reflecting on how royal pastimes, when pursued without restraint, can lead to unintended moral and practical consequences.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a royal hunt, a common motif used to explore restraint and responsibility: even socially accepted royal pastimes can become ethically fraught if they lead to harm or loss of self-control.
Vaiśampāyana begins an account set in Ayodhyā, introducing King Parikṣit of the Ikṣvāku line and stating that he went out for hunting, which serves as the initiating circumstance for the ensuing episode.