Mahabharata 3.116.2 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 2

Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 116: Jamadagni–Reṇukā Narrative and the Kārtavīrya Conflict

Akṛtavraṇa’s Account

Devanagari script

स प्रसेनजितं राजन्नधिगम्य नराधिपम्‌ | रेणुकां वरयामास स च तस्मै ददौ नृप:,युधिष्ठिर! फिर राजा प्रसेनजितके पास जाकर जमदग्नि मुनिने उनकी पुत्री रेणुकाके लिये याचना की और राजाने मुनिको अपनी कन्या ब्याह दी

Transliteration

sa prasenajitaṃ rājann adhigamya narādhipam | reṇukāṃ varayāmāsa sa ca tasmai dadau nṛpaḥ ||

Translation

രാജാവേ! ജമദഗ്നി മുനി മനുഷ്യാധിപനായ പ്രസേനജിത് രാജാവിനെ സമീപിച്ച് രേണുകയെ വിവാഹാർത്ഥം അഭ്യർത്ഥിച്ചു; ആ നൃപൻ തന്റെ പുത്രിയെ മുനിക്കു നൽകി।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रसेनजितम्: Prasenajit
• प्रसेनजितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: प्रसेनजित्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अधिगम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Absolutive (having gone/approached)

• नराधिपम्: the lord of men (king)
• नराधिपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रेणुकाम्: Renuka
• रेणुकाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: रेणुका
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वरयामास: sought/asked for (in marriage)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वर्) / वरयति (causative stem)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: and he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अकृतव्रण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• अकृतव्रण (Akṛtavraṇa)
• युधिष्ठिर (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• प्रसेनजित् (Prasenajit)
• रेणुका (Reṇukā)
• जमदग्नि (Jamadagni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic procedure in forming a marriage alliance: a formal request (varaṇa) is made, and the guardian-king grants consent, reflecting social order and responsible kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Akṛtavraṇa tells Yudhiṣṭhira that Jamadagni approached King Prasenajit and asked for Renukā as his bride; Prasenajit agreed and gave Renukā in marriage.