Shloka 74

Devanagari script

तस्मै स कुरुमुख्याय यथावत्‌ परिपृच्छते । वरं शशंस कन्यां तामुद्दिश्य भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! कुरुवंशके श्रेष्ठ पुरुष देवव्रतके भलीभाँति पूछनेपर वृद्ध मन्त्रीने बताया कि महाराज एक कन्यासे विवाह करना चाहते हैं

Transliteration

tasmai sa kurumukhyāya yathāvat paripṛcchate | varaṁ śaśaṁsa kanyāṁ tām uddiśya bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

କୁରୁମୁଖ୍ୟ ଦେବବ୍ରତ ଯଥାବତ୍ ଓ କ୍ରମାନୁସାରେ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କରିବା ସହିତ, ସେ ବୃଦ୍ଧ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ରାଜା ଯେ କନ୍ୟାକୁ ବିବାହ କରିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଥିଲେ, ତାହାକୁ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ କରି ଆକାଙ୍କ୍ଷିତ ବର ପ୍ରକାଶ କଲେ, ହେ ଭରତଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ।

Word by Word

तस्मैto him

सःhe

कुरुमुख्यायto the chief of the Kurus

यथावत्duly, properly

परिपृच्छतेwhen (he) asks, inquires

वरम्a boon; a choice (bridegroom)

शशंसdeclared, told

कन्याम्the maiden

ताम्that (one)

उद्दिश्यhaving indicated; with reference to

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kuru (lineage)

Bharata (lineage)

the maiden (kanyā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes proper procedure and ethical decorum in royal decision-making: a senior counselor speaks only after being questioned in the right manner, and sensitive matters like marriage alliances are communicated with restraint and clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

A leading Kuru figure (contextually Devavrata) questions an aged minister about the king’s intention; in response, the minister reveals the ‘boon’ or desired plan—specifically, the king’s wish to marry a particular maiden.