Mahabharata 1.115.42 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 115, Shloka 42

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 115 — Mādri’s request; invocation of the Aśvins; birth and naming of the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रं महाराजं वैश्या पर्यचरत्‌ किल । तस्मिन्‌ संवत्सरे राजन्‌ धृतराष्ट्रान्महायशा:

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahārājaṃ vaiśyā paryacarat kila | tasmin saṃvatsare rājan dhṛtarāṣṭrān mahāyaśāḥ ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—କୁହାଯାଏ ଯେ ମହାରାଜ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରଙ୍କ ସେବାରେ ଗୋଟିଏ ବୈଶ୍ୟା ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଥିଲେ। ହେ ରାଜନ, ସେହି ବର୍ଷ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସେ ବୈଶ୍ୟା ସ୍ତ୍ରୀର ଗର୍ଭରୁ ମହାୟଶସ୍ବୀ ପୁତ୍ର ଯୁଯୁତ୍ସୁ ଜନ୍ମ ନେଲା; ଏବଂ ଗାନ୍ଧାରୀଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରଙ୍କ ସନ୍ତାନପରମ୍ପରାରେ ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଗଣ୍ୟ ହେଲା। ରାଜକାମନା ଓ ଗୃହଧର୍ମ ଜଟିଳ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, କଥା କୁରୁବଂଶର ନିୟତିକୁ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଭାବେ ଲେଖି ରଖେ।

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra (as object)
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाराजम्: the great king
• महाराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वैश्या: a Vaiśya woman
• वैश्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पर्यचरत्: served, attended upon
• पर्यचरत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + चर्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किल: indeed, it is said
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• संवत्सरे: in the year
• संवत्सरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रात्: from Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• महायशाः: the greatly renowned (one)
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Vaiśyā (unnamed Vaiśya woman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the complexity of dharma in royal households: personal conduct and social norms (varṇa, marriage, service) intersect with dynastic concerns, producing consequences that become part of the larger moral and political story of the Kurus.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that a Vaiśya woman was in attendance on King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and in that year a famed son was born from Dhṛtarāṣṭra through her (identified in the surrounding passage as Yuyutsu), alongside the births connected with Gāndhārī.