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Shloka 17

नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura

दर्शयामास राजेन्द्र पुरा पौरवनन्दन । द्यौस्तदा तां तु दृष्टवैव गां गजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रम

vaiśampāyana uvāca | darśayāmāsa rājendra purā pauravanandana | dyauḥ tadā tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvaiva gāṃ gajendrendra-vikrama vṛṣabhake-samāṃ viśālā-netrāṃ mahārāja |

ರಾಜೇಂದ್ರ, ಪೌರವವಂಶದ ಆನಂದವರ್ಧಕನೇ! ಪೂರ್ವಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ದೇವಿಯು (ತನ್ನ ಪತಿ) ದ್ಯುವಿಗೆ ಆ ಹಸುವನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸಿದಳು. ಗಜೇಂದ್ರನಂತೆ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮಿಯಾದ ದ್ಯು ಅದನ್ನು ಕಂಡ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲೇ ಅದರ ಮಹಿಮೆಯಿಂದ ವಿಸ್ಮಿತನಾದನು.

दर्शयामासshowed (caused to see)
दर्शयामास:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (दर्शन)
Formलिट् (परस्मैपद, periphrastic perfect), 3, singular
आमासdid/was (auxiliary in periphrastic perfect)
आमास:
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (भू)
Formलिट् (periphrastic auxiliary), 3, singular
राजेन्द्रO king of kings
राजेन्द्र:
TypeNoun
Rootराजेन्द्र (राजन् + इन्द्र)
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
पुराformerly, in olden times
पुरा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा
पौरवनन्दनO descendant/joy of the Pauravas
पौरवनन्दन:
TypeNoun
Rootपौरवनन्दन (पौरव + नन्दन)
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
द्यौःDyu (a Vasu named Dyu)
द्यौः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्यौ (द्यौस्)
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
ताम्that (her/it)
ताम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
एवjust/indeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
गाम्cow
गाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगो
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
गजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रमO one whose prowess is like that of the lord of elephants
गजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रम:
TypeNoun
Rootगजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रम (गज-इन्द्र + इन्द्र + विक्रम)
Formmasculine, vocative, singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
D
Dyau (a Vasu)
P
Puru lineage (Paurava)
T
the goddess (Dyau’s wife; unnamed here)
T
the cow (divine/auspicious cow)

Educational Q&A

The verse sets up an ethical tension: extraordinary benefits attached to a sacred object can provoke desire, but dharma requires restraint and respect for rightful ownership. The narrative foreshadows how coveting what belongs to a sage or another person leads to moral and karmic consequences.

Vaiśampāyana narrates that, in ancient times, a goddess showed her husband Dyau (a Vasu) a magnificent, broad-eyed cow. Dyau, impressed at first sight, observes her exceptional qualities—introducing the famed cow whose possession becomes central to the ensuing episode.