Shloka 172
कल्माषपाद-शाप-कारणम्
Cause of Kalmāṣapāda’s Niyoga under a Curse
(कुरूद्धवा यतो यूयं कौरवा: कुरवस्तथा । पौरवा आजमीढाक्ष भारता भरतर्षभ || तापत्यमखिल प्रोक्तं वृत्तान्तं तव पूर्वकम् । पुरोहितमुखा यूय॑ भुड्ग्ध्वं वै पृथिवीमिमाम् ।।
gandharva uvāca |
kurūddhavā yato yūyaṃ kauravāḥ kuravas tathā |
pauravā ājamīḍhākṣa bhāratā bharatarṣabha ||
tāpatyam akhilaṃ proktaṃ vṛttāntaṃ tava pūrvakam |
purohitamukhā yūyaṃ bhuṅkdhvaṃ vai pṛthivīm imām ||
गन्धर्व उवाच— कुरूद्भवा यतो यूयं कौरवाः कुरवस्तथा । पौरवा आजमीढाक्ष भारता भरतर्षभ ॥ तापत्यमखिलं प्रोक्तं वृत्तान्तं तव पूर्वकम् । पुरोहितमुखा यूयं भुङ्क्त्वं वै पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dynastic power is framed as legitimate only when exercised under dharma: the king should place the purohita (custodian of ritual and counsel) in front and then protect and ‘enjoy’ the earth—i.e., rule responsibly, not merely possess.
A Gandharva concludes the Tapatī episode by explaining the various lineage-based names of the Kuru descendants (Kaurava, Paurava, Ājamīḍha, Bhārata) and then exhorts them to govern the realm with the guidance of their priest.