Shloka 8

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

Brahmā’s Synopsis of the Epic and the Logic of Divine Descents

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनप्रधानास्तु शतसंख्या महाबलाः / पाण्डोः कुन्त्याञ्च माद्यां च पञ्च पुत्राः प्रजज्ञिरे

Transliteration

duryodhanapradhānāstu śatasaṃkhyā mahābalāḥ / pāṇḍoḥ kuntyāñca mādyāṃ ca pañca putrāḥ prajajñire

Translation

ドゥルヨーダナを筆頭として、強大なる戦士が百人 जन्मした。さらにパーンドゥには、クンティーとマードリーによって五人の पुत्रが जन्मした。

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनप्रधानाः: having Duryodhana as chief
• दुर्योधनप्रधानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्योधन + प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• शतसंख्याः: numbering a hundred
• शतसंख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• महाबलाः: very strong
• महाबलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• पाण्डोः: of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुन्त्याः: of Kuntī
• कुन्त्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• माद्यां: in/through Mādrī
• माद्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माद्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पाठानुसार रूपम्: माद्यां = माद्र्यां)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable numeral)

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रजज्ञिरे: were born
• प्रजज्ञिरे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्/परिपूर्णभूत (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Collective karma ripens through family lines; numerical strength does not guarantee dharma’s victory.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara’s order (ṛta/dharma) supersedes mere power; outcomes align with deeper moral causality.

Application: Do not equate majority or might with right; cultivate discernment and ethical alliances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: kingdom/capital

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.145 (births of Kauravas and Pandavas)

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Pandavas
• Pandu
• Kunti
• Madri

FAQs

What is the importance of the Kaurava–Pandava genealogy in the Garuda Purana?

This verse briefly anchors the Mahābhārata narrative by stating the birth of the hundred Kauravas led by Duryodhana and the five sons of Pāṇḍu, framing later discussions on dharma and consequence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it situates a dharma-conflict lineage whose actions and results are commonly used in Purāṇic teaching on karma and moral accountability.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the Mahābhārata’s family conflict as a reminder that leadership, choices, and alliances shape outcomes—cultivating dharma-oriented decisions helps prevent avoidable suffering.