Shloka 117
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
तस्यायं भविता पुत्रो बालो भुवि महारथ: । ततः: षोडश वर्षाणि स्थास्यत्यमरसत्तमा:
tasyāyaṃ bhavitā putro bālo bhuvi mahārathaḥ | tataḥ ṣoḍaśa varṣāṇi sthāsyaty amara-sattamāḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: “Dia akan mempunyai seorang putera yang, walaupun masih kanak-kanak, akan termasyhur di bumi sebagai seorang maharatha—pahlawan kereta perang yang agung. Sesudah itu, wahai yang terbaik antara para abadi, dia akan tinggal di sana hingga mencapai usia enam belas tahun.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic theme that personal destiny and social role (especially kṣatriya excellence) are often framed as foretold and witnessed by higher powers; greatness is presented as a responsibility that unfolds with time and discipline, not merely as birthright.
Vaiśampāyana delivers a prophetic statement to the gods: a certain person will have a son who will be recognized as a mahāratha even in boyhood, and the child will remain in that specified place/condition until he reaches sixteen years of age.