Shloka 84
Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya
Chapter 29
मामेव धास्यतीत्येवमिन्द्रो5थाभ्युपपद्यत । मान्धातेति ततस्तस्य नाम चक्रे शतक्रतु:,“यह सुनकर इन्द्र बोल उठे “मां धाता--मेरा दूध पीयेगा।” जब इन्द्रने इस प्रकार उसे पिलाना स्वीकार कर लिया, तबसे उन्होंने ही उस बालकका नाम “मान्धाता” रख दिया
mām eva dhāsyatīty evam indro 'thābhyupapadyata | māndhāteti tatas tasya nāma cakre śatakratuḥ ||
ഇതു കേട്ട് ഇന്ദ്രൻ സമ്മതിച്ചു—“ഇവൻ എന്റെതന്നെ പാൽ കുടിക്കും.” തുടർന്ന് സഹസ്രയജ്ഞനായ ശതക്രതു അവന് “മാന്ധാതാ” എന്നു നാമം നൽകി.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical power of acceptance and responsibility: Indra’s consent to nourish the child becomes a defining act that confers identity and destiny. It suggests that protection offered by a capable guardian, sealed by truthful speech, is itself a dharmic act with lasting social meaning.
Indra agrees that the infant will suckle from him (“me alone”), and after accepting this role, he formally gives the child the name Māndhātā. The naming is directly linked to Indra’s declaration and the extraordinary arrangement of the child’s nourishment.