Shloka 3
Śānti-parva Adhyāya 30: Nārada–Parvata Samaya-bhaṅga, Śāpa, and the Marriage of Sukumārī
उताहो नाममात्र वै सुवर्णछ्ठीविनो&भवत् | कथं वा काञ्चनष्ठीवीत्येतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्,उस बालकका नाममात्र ही सुवर्णष्ठीवी था या उसमें वैसा ही गुण भी था। सुवर्णष्ठीवी नाम पड़नेका कारण क्या था? यह सब मैं जानना चाहता हूँ
utāho nāmamātraṃ vai suvarṇaṣṭhīvino 'bhavat | kathaṃ vā kāñcanaṣṭhīvīty etad icchāmi veditum |
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Adakah budak itu digelar ‘Suvarṇaṣṭhīvin’ (yang meludah emas) sekadar pada nama, atau benarkah dia memiliki sifat demikian? Dan bagaimana pula dia dikenali sebagai ‘Kāñcanaṣṭhīvī’ (yang memuntahkan emas)? Hal ini ingin aku ketahui.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry into whether a person’s reputation (a name) reflects real qualities and actions. It invites reflection on how labels arise—through mere convention, through observable conduct, or through deeper karmic causes—and cautions against judging solely by hearsay.
Yudhiṣṭhira asks for clarification about a boy known by striking epithets—‘Suvarṇaṣṭhīvin’ and ‘Kāñcanaṣṭhīvī.’ He wants to know whether the title was only nominal or based on an actual phenomenon/quality, and what specific cause led to that name.