Shloka 22
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
प्रतिविन्ध्य इति ख्यातो बभूव प्रथित: क्षितौ । विरूपाक्षस्तु दैतेयश्चित्रयोधी महासुर:
prativindhya iti khyāto babhūva prathitaḥ kṣitau | virūpākṣas tu daiteyaś citrayodhī mahāsuraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Di bumi muncul seorang raja yang masyhur bernama Prativindhya, terkenal luas. Dan Daitya bernama Virūpākṣa—seorang Asura besar yang termasyhur kerana bertempur dengan cara-cara yang ganjil dan beraneka—lahir di sini sebagai pemerintah yang dikenali sebagai Citradharmā. Demikianlah, makhluk-makhluk dari keturunan Asura dan Daitya digambarkan mengambil kelahiran manusia sebagai raja, seolah-olah menubuatkan bahawa tabiat tersembunyi yang bukan sepenuhnya manusiawi dapat membentuk kuasa duniawi dan iklim moral sesebuah kerajaan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse participates in a larger catalogue showing that rulers may embody deeper cosmic tendencies: Asuras and Daityas can be born as human kings. The ethical implication is cautionary—power and fame do not guarantee dharmic character; hidden dispositions can influence governance and conflict.
Vaiśampāyana continues a genealogical account in which various Asuras/Daityas are said to take birth on earth as notable kings. In this specific verse, a king becomes famous as Prativindhya, and the Daitya Virūpākṣa—known for unusual modes of combat—is linked with a human ruler (named Citradharmā in the surrounding tradition).