Shloka 31

Pāṇḍu’s Marriages, Conquests, and Triumphal Return (पाण्डोर्विवाह-विजय-प्रत्यागमनम्)

Devanagari script

मातापित्रो: प्रजायन्ते पुत्रा: साधारणा: कवे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | mātāpitroḥ prajāyante putrāḥ sādhāraṇāḥ kave |

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—“ହେ କବି-ମୁନି! ପୁତ୍ର ମାତା ଓ ପିତା—ଦୁହିଁଠାରୁ ଜନ୍ମେ; ତେଣୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଦୁହିଁଙ୍କର ସମାନ ଅଧିକାର। ପିତା ଯେପରି ପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କର ସ୍ୱାମୀ ଓ ରକ୍ଷକ, ମାତା ମଧ୍ୟ ସେପରି—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ। ହେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମର୍ଷି! ବିଧାତାଙ୍କ ବିଧାନ କିମ୍ବା ମୋ ପୂର୍ବଜନ୍ମର ପୁଣ୍ୟବଳରେ ଯେପରି ତୁମେ ମୋର ପ୍ରଥମ ପୁତ୍ର, ସେପରି ବିଚିତ୍ରବୀର୍ୟ ମୋର ସବୁଠୁ ଛୋଟ ପୁତ୍ର ଥିଲା। ତେଣୁ ଏକ ପିତାର ନାତେ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ତାହାର ଭାଇ, ସେପରି ଏକ ମାତାର ନାତେ ତୁମେ ମଧ୍ୟ ବିଚିତ୍ରବୀର୍ୟର ଭାଇ। ପୁତ୍ର! ଏହି ମୋର ଦୃଢ଼ ମତ; ତୁମେ ଯାହା ଯଥୋଚିତ ଭାବ, ସେହିପରି କର। ଏବଂ ସତ୍ୟପରାକ୍ରମୀ ଶାନ୍ତନୁନନ୍ଦନ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ଏହି ସତ୍ୟକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରୁଛନ୍ତି।”

Word by Word

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पित्रोः: of (the) two fathers/parents (father and mother as a pair is intended in context, but form is 'of two fathers')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• प्रजायन्ते: are born / come into being
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-जन्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साधारणाः: common/shared (to both)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधारण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कवे: O sage/poet
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Śantanu
• Vicitravīrya
• Vidhātṛ (the Creator)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Parenthood is shared: since a child is born from both mother and father, both possess equal moral authority and responsibility regarding the child. The passage also elevates satya (truthfulness) as a guiding dharma, exemplified by Bhīṣma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker argues that maternal relation establishes real brotherhood just as paternal relation does. On that basis, the addressee is urged to recognize Vicitravīrya as a brother through the same mother, while Bhīṣma is praised for adhering to truth and rightful conduct.