Shloka 20

Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma

Devanagari script

आद्ानं मन्त्रसंयुक्त वसन्त्या: पितृवेश्मनि । साहमन्त:पुरे राज्ञ: कुन्तिभोजपुरस्कृता

Transliteration

ādānaṃ mantrasaṃyuktaṃ vasantyāḥ pitṛveśmani | sāham antaḥpure rājñaḥ kuntibhojapuraskṛtā ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— ମୁଁ ପିତୃଗୃହରେ ବସୁଥିବାବେଳେ ମନ୍ତ୍ରସଂଯୁକ୍ତ ଏକ ବର ପାଇଥିଲି। ସେହି ଦିନଗୁଡ଼ିକରେ ସେବାଦ୍ୱାରା ଭଗବାନ ଋଷି ଦୁର୍ବାସାଙ୍କୁ ସନ୍ତୁଷ୍ଟ କରିଥିଲି; ସେ ମୋତେ ଏହି ବର ଦେଲେ— ଯଥାଯଥ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୋଚ୍ଚାରଣ ସହ ଆହ୍ୱାନ କଲେ ମୁଁ ଯେକୌଣସି ଦେବତାକୁ ନିଜ ସମ୍ମୁଖକୁ ଡାକିପାରିବି। ମୋ ପିତା କୁନ୍ତିଭୋଜ ମୋତେ ବହୁତ ସମ୍ମାନ କରୁଥିଲେ। ତଥାପି ରାଜାଙ୍କ ଅନ୍ତଃପୁରରେ ରହି ମୋ ହୃଦୟ ବ୍ୟଥିତ ହେଲା; ମନ୍ତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କର ବଳାବଳ ଓ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣବାଣୀର ଭୟଙ୍କର ପ୍ରଭାବ ବିଷୟରେ ମୁଁ ନାନା ପ୍ରକାର ଚିନ୍ତା କରିଲି— କାରଣ ମଙ୍ଗଳାର୍ଥେ ମିଳିଥିବା ବର ମଧ୍ୟ ପରିଣାମ ଅଜଣା ଥିଲେ ଆଶଙ୍କାର କାରଣ ହୋଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• आदानम्: taking/receiving (the boon/mantra)
• आदानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदान (प्रातिपदिक; √दा + आ- उपसर्ग, भाव/कर्मणि-नपुंसक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मन्त्र-संयुक्तम्: joined/associated with a mantra
• मन्त्र-संयुक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वसन्त्याः: of (me) dwelling / while residing
• वसन्त्याः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्ती (स्त्री; वर्तमानकृदन्त/नाम; √वस् 'to dwell')
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• पितृ-वेश्मनि: in the father's house
• पितृ-वेश्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + वेश्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सा: she / I (that woman)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• अन्तः-पुरे: in the inner apartments (harem/palace quarters)
• अन्तः-पुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तः + पुर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कुन्ति-भोज-पुरस्कृता: honoured/esteemed by Kuntibhoja
• कुन्ति-भोज-पुरस्कृता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुन्तिभोज + पुरस्कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ, क्त; 'honoured/placed in front')
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kuntī
• Durvāsā
• Kuntibhoja
• devas (gods/deities)
• pitṛveśman (father’s house)
• antaḥpura (inner palace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Extraordinary powers gained through tapas, mantra, or boons demand discernment and restraint. The verse highlights ethical responsibility: even a legitimate gift can become dangerous if used without understanding its consequences, and it underscores the feared potency of a brāhmaṇa’s word.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī recounts that while living in her father’s house she served the sage Durvāsā and received a mantra-boon enabling her to summon any deity. Though honored in Kuntibhoja’s household and living in the royal inner palace, she becomes inwardly uneasy, contemplating the strength and risks of mantra-power and the efficacy of a brāhmaṇa’s speech.