Shloka 11
Adhyāya 123 — Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial
प्राहु: क्षत्रे बलज्येष्ठं बलज्येष्ठं सुतं वृणु । (अश्वमेध: क्रतुश्रेष्ठो ज्योतिश्श्रेष्ठो दिवाकर: । ब्राह्मणों द्विपदां श्रेष्ठो बलश्रेष्ठस्तु मारुत: ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
prāhuḥ kṣatre balajyeṣṭhaṃ balajyeṣṭhaṃ sutaṃ vṛṇu |
(aśvamedhaḥ kratuśreṣṭho jyotiśśreṣṭho divākaraḥ |
brāhmaṇo dvipadāṃ śreṣṭho balaśreṣṭhas tu mārutaḥ ||
mārutaṃ marutāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarvaprāṇibhir īḍitam |
āvāhaya tvaṃ niyamāt putrārthaṃ varavarṇini ||
sa no yaṃ dāsyati sutaṃ sa prāṇabalavān nṛṣu |)
atas tathokta bhartrā tu vāyum evājuhāva sā |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「クシャトリヤにおいては、力こそが最上の徳とされる。ゆえに、力において第一の子を選べ。アシュヴァメーダが諸祭の中で最勝であり、太陽が諸光の主であり、ブラーフマナが人々の中で最上であるように、ヴァーユ（風神）は力において至高である。肌艶うるわしき夫人よ、ゆえに正しき戒律と修行をもって、子を得るために、万有に讃えられる神々の中の最勝者ヴァーユを招請せよ。彼が授ける子は、人々の中で生命の気力と肉体の剛力において抜きん出るであろう。」夫のこの言葉に従い、クンティーはただヴァーユのみを招請した。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames a Kṣatriya ethic: for rulers and warriors, strength and vital energy are prized as enabling protection and duty. It also emphasizes niyama—disciplined, rule-bound ritual conduct—showing that desired ends (a powerful heir) should be pursued through lawful, regulated means rather than impulse.
Kuntī’s husband advises her to invoke the deity who embodies supreme strength—Vāyu—so that the son granted will be exceptionally powerful. Following this counsel, Kuntī performs the proper invocation of Vāyu, setting the stage for the birth of a mighty son (Bhīma).