Mahabharata — Adi Parva, Shloka 37
कृपकृपी-जननम्
The Birth of Kṛpa and Kṛpī; Kṛpa’s Attainment of Astras
तस्मात् प्रहेष्याम्यद्य त्वां हीन: प्रजननात् स्वयम् | सदृशाच्छेयसो वा त्वं विद्धापत्यं यशस्विनि
tasmāt praheṣyāmy adya tvāṃ hīnaḥ prajananāt svayam | sadṛśāc chreyaso vā tvaṃ viddhāpatyaṃ yaśasvini ||
ಆದುದರಿಂದ, ಯಶಸ್ವಿನಿ ಕುಂತೀ! ನಾನು ಸ್ವತಃ ಸಂತಾನೋತ್ಪಾದನೆಯ ಶಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ವಂಚಿತನು; ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಇಂದು ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಕಳುಹಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ನನ್ನ ಸಮಾನನಾದ ಅಥವಾ ನನ್ನಿಗಿಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾದ ಪುರುಷನಿಂದ ಸಂತಾನವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯು.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the dharmic imperative of continuing the lineage when a ruler is unable to beget children, and it shows how extraordinary measures are justified within a framework of social propriety—seeking a partner who is 'equal or superior' to protect honor and legitimacy.
The speaker reports a husband’s decision to send Kuntī to another man for the sake of obtaining offspring, because he himself lacks the capacity for procreation; it sets up the narrative mechanism by which heirs will be produced despite the husband’s incapacity.