Shloka 27
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
भूमौ भूमिपति: क्षेष्ठो देवाधिप इति स्मृतः । शरभो नाम यस्तेषां दैतेयानां महासुर:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
bhūmau bhūmipatiḥ śreṣṭho devādhipa iti smṛtaḥ |
śarabho nāma yas teṣāṃ daiteyānāṃ mahāsuraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Di bumi, yang terunggul antara raja-raja dikenang dengan gelaran ‘Devādhipa’ (Tuan para dewa). Dalam kalangan Daiteya itu ada seorang Asura besar bernama Śarabha.” Di sini, naratif membingkaikan kerajaan duniawi sebagai jelmaan salasilah kosmik terdahulu: kuasa Daitya–Asura dikatakan lahir sebagai pemerintah manusia yang masyhur. Nada etiknya ialah bahawa kuasa politik bukanlah kebetulan—kebangkitannya terikat pada sifat asal (svabhāva) dan perbuatan lampau; maka raja mesti berjaga-jaga, kerana kebesaran boleh membawa bayang dorongan pemusnah jika tidak dikekang oleh dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a theme common in the Adi Parva: worldly sovereignty is intertwined with cosmic lineages. Great power (kingship) must be governed by dharma, because the same force that elevates a ruler can also carry Asuric tendencies—pride, aggression, and domination—unless disciplined by ethical restraint.
Vaiśampāyana begins a catalog-like account linking prominent human kings to earlier Daitya/Asura beings. This verse specifically notes that the foremost king is known by the title ‘Devādhipa’ and introduces Śarabha as a great Daitya/Asura, setting up identifications that follow in the surrounding passage.