Shloka 110

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

जयद्रथाय प्रददौ सौबलानुमते तदा । धर्मस्यांशं तु राजानं विद्धि राजन्‌ युधिष्ठिरम्‌

Transliteration

jayadrathāya pradadau saubalānumate tadā | dharmasyāṁśaṁ tu rājānaṁ viddhi rājan yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಆ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೌಬಲನ (ಶಕುನಿ) ಅನುಮತಿಯಿಂದ ಅವನು (ತನ್ನ ಸಹೋದರಿಯನ್ನು) ಸಿಂಧುರಾಜ ಜಯದ್ರಥನಿಗೆ ವಿವಾಹವಾಗಿ ನೀಡಿದನು. ಮತ್ತು ಹೇ ರಾಜನ್, ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನನ್ನು ಧರ್ಮದ ಅಂಶವೆಂದು ತಿಳಿ.

Word by Word

• {'jayadrathāya': 'to Jayadratha (dative

• recipient of the marriage alliance)', 'pradadau': 'gave, bestowed (in marriage)', 'saubala': 'the Saubala

• Śakuni of Gandhāra', 'anumate': 'with the consent/approval (locative of anu-mati)', 'tadā': 'then, at that time', 'dharmasya': 'of Dharma (righteousness

• also the deity Dharma)', 'aṁśam': 'a portion, share

• an incarnation/partial manifestation', 'tu': 'but/indeed (emphatic contrast)', 'rājānam': 'the king (accusative)', 'viddhi': 'know, understand (imperative)', 'rājan': 'O king (vocative

• addressed to Janamejaya)', 'yudhiṣṭhiram': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (accusative)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Jayadratha
• Śakuni (Saubala)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes political action with moral identity: alliances may be forged through strategic counsel (a marriage bestowed with Śakuni’s approval), yet true legitimacy in kingship is grounded in Dharma—personified in Yudhiṣṭhira as a partial manifestation of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana tells Janamejaya that, following Śakuni’s counsel, a marriage alliance was arranged with Jayadratha; immediately thereafter he affirms Yudhiṣṭhira’s nature as ‘a portion of Dharma,’ highlighting his ethical preeminence amid dynastic events.