Shloka 26
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
मुञ्जकेश इति ख्यात: श्रीमानासीत् स पार्थिव: । निकुम्भस्त्वजित: संख्ये महामतिरजायत
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
muñjakeśa iti khyātaḥ śrīmān āsīt sa pārthivaḥ |
nikumbhas tv ajitaḥ saṅkhye mahāmatir ajāyata ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Seorang raja yang makmur telah lahir dan kemudian masyhur dengan nama Muñjakeśa. Dan Nikumbha—berakal besar serta tidak terkalahkan di medan perang—turut lahir. Dalam bahagian Ādi Parva ini, pencerita meneruskan bingkai salasilah-etik epik: makhluk-makhluk berkuasa daripada keturunan yang bermusuhan (asura/dānava) mengambil kelahiran dalam kalangan raja manusia, sebagai bayangan bahawa kecenderungan tersembunyi dan permusuhan purba akan muncul kembali dalam politik dan peperangan duniawi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse participates in a larger teaching-by-narrative: worldly power and conflict are not random—deep-seated tendencies and ancient rivalries can re-emerge through birth and lineage. Hence rulers must cultivate discernment and restraint, since prosperity (śrī) and intelligence (mahāmati) can serve dharma or intensify adharma depending on conduct.
Vaiśampāyana continues listing notable births among kings. Here he states that a king became famous as Muñjakeśa, and that Nikumbha—unconquered in battle and very intelligent—was born, as part of the broader catalogue linking non-human powers (asuras/dānavas) to human royal lines.