Shloka 19
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
बृहद्रथ इति ख्यात: क्षितावासीत् स पार्थिव: । तुहुण्ड इति विख्यातो य आसीदसुरोत्तम:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
bṛhadratha iti khyātaḥ kṣitāv āsīt sa pārthivaḥ |
tu huṇḍa iti vikhyāto ya āsīd asurottamaḥ ||
(atra gītā-press-pāṭhe anantaraṃ gadya-vyākhyā-rūpeṇa bahavaḥ asura-nāma–mānuṣa-rāja-nāma-sambandhāḥ nirdiśyante: ayaḥśirā, aśvaśirā, vīryavān ayaḥśaṅku, gaganamūrdhā, vegavān ity-ādayaḥ; tathā ketumān/amitaūjā, svarbhānu/ugrasena, aśva/aśoka, aśvapati/hārdikya, vṛṣaparvā/dīrghaprajña, ajaka/śālva, aśvagrīva/rocamāna, sūkṣma/bṛhadratha, tuhuṇḍa/senābindu, iṣupāda/nagnajit, ekacakra/prativindhya, virūpākṣa/citradharmā, hara/subāhu, ahara/bāhlika, nicandra/muñjakeśa, nikumbha/devādhipa, śarabh/paurava, kupaṭa/supārśva, kratha/pārvatīya, śalabha/prahmada, candra/candravarmā (kāmboja), arka/ṛṣika, mṛtpa (anūpa-deśa), gaviṣṭha/drumasena, mayūra/viśva, suparṇa/kālakīrti, candrahantā/śunaka, candravināśana/jānaki, dīrghajihna/kāśirāja, rāhu/krātha.)
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಅವನು ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬೃಹದ್ರಥ ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರಿನಿಂದ ಖ್ಯಾತನಾದ ರಾಜನಾದನು. ಮತ್ತು ತುಹುಂಡನೆಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧನಾದ ಅಸುರೋತ್ತಮನೂ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾದುರ್ಭವಿಸಿದನು।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores that political power and royal birth can arise from many cosmic sources, even Asuric ones; therefore kingship is not proof of virtue. Once born as human rulers, these beings enter the domain of dharma where actions, governance, and restraint determine merit and consequence.
Vaiśampāyana begins a catalogue identifying certain famed Asuras and their corresponding births as earthly kings. The verse names Bṛhadratha as a king on earth and Tuhuṇḍa as a foremost Asura, and the surrounding prose continues with many such identifications across regions and dynasties.