Shloka 3

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच जातपुत्रो दशरथ: प्रीतिमानभवन्नूप । क्रियारतिर्धर्मरत: सततं वृद्धसेविता,मार्कण्डेयजीने कहा--राजन्‌! अपने पुत्रोंके जन्मसे महाराज दशरथको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई। वे सदा सत्कर्ममें तत्पर रहनेवाले, धर्मपरायण तथा बड़े-बूढ़ोंके सेवक थे

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | jātaputro daśarathaḥ prītimān abhavan nṛpa | kriyāratiḥ dharmarataḥ satataṁ vṛddhasevitā ||

Translation

マールカンデーヤは言った。「王よ、子らが生まれるや、ダシャラタは歓喜に満たされた。彼は常に善き行いを好み、ダルマに堅く立ち、年長者に仕え敬うことを怠らなかった。」

Word by Word

मार्कण्डेयःMarkandeya

उवाचsaid

जातपुत्रःhaving sons born / whose sons were born

दशरथःDasharatha

प्रीतिमान्joyful, delighted

अभवत्became, was

नृपO king

क्रियारतिःdelighting in (proper) actions/rites

धर्मरतःdevoted to dharma

सततम्always, continually

वृद्धसेविताone who serves elders

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Daśaratha

nṛpa (the king being addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical model of kingship: true joy (even in personal blessings like the birth of sons) should be accompanied by steadfast commitment to dharma—expressed through right action and humble service to elders.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes King Daśaratha’s response after the birth of his sons, emphasizing his happiness and his established virtues—devotion to proper conduct, dedication to dharma, and continual respect and service toward elders.