Shloka 18

Ādi Parva 117 — Pāṇḍu’s Obsequies, Escort of the Pāṇḍavas, and Reception at Nāgasāhvaya

Hastināpura

Devanagari script

दुःशलां चापि समये धृतराष्ट्रो नराधिप: । जयद्रथाय प्रददौ विधिना भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | Duḥśalāṃ cāpi samaye dhṛtarāṣṭro narādhipaḥ | Jayadrathāya pradadau vidhinā bharatarṣabha janamejaya ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «В надлежащее время царь Дхритараштра, владыка людей, по установленному обряду выдал свою дочь Духшалу замуж за Джаядратху, о лучший из Бхарат, о Джанамеджая».

Word by Word

• {'Duḥśalām': 'Duḥśalā (name of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s daughter)

• accusative singular', 'ca api': 'and also', 'samaye': 'at the proper time

• in due season', 'dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ': 'Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Kuru king)

• nominative singular', 'narādhipaḥ': 'lord of men

• king', 'Jayadrathāya': 'to/for Jayadratha (king of Sindhu)

• dative singular', 'pradadau': 'gave (in marriage)

• bestowed', 'vidhinā': 'according to prescribed rite

• duly, lawfully', 'bharatarṣabha': 'bull among the Bharatas

• epithet of the listener (Janamejaya)', 'janamejaya': 'Janamejaya (the king being addressed)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Duḥśalā
• Jayadratha
• Janamejaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in the form of a ruler’s familial and social responsibility: arranging marriage at the appropriate time and in accordance with prescribed rites (vidhi), emphasizing order, legitimacy, and duty in royal conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, at the proper time, formally gave his daughter Duḥśalā in marriage to Jayadratha, following the proper ritual procedure.