Shloka 12
Divodāsa–Mādhavī Saṃvāda: Pratardana-janma and Kanyā-niryātana (दिवोदास–माधवी संवादः / प्रतर्दन-जननम् / कन्या-निर्यातनम्)
नृपेभ्यो हि चतुर्भ्यस्ते पूर्णान्यष्टी शतानि मे । भविष्यन्ति तथा पुत्रा मम चत्वार एव च,“इस प्रकार चार राजाओंसे दो-दो सौ घोड़े लेनेपर आपके आठ सौ घोड़े पूरे हो जायाँगे और मेरे भी चार ही पुत्र होंगे
nṛpebhyo hi caturbhyas te pūrṇāny aṣṭī śatāni me | bhaviṣyanti tathā putrā mama catvāra eva ca ||
नृपेभ्यश्चतुर्भ्यस्ते द्वे शते द्वे शते गृहीत्वा मम पूर्णान्यष्टी शतानि भविष्यन्ति; मम च पुत्राश्चत्वार एव भविष्यन्ति।
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes fulfillment of a stated requirement through orderly, proportional means—completing a fixed total (eight hundred) by taking equal shares from four rulers—reflecting the Mahābhārata’s concern with measured action, clear commitments, and the ethics of completing what is due.
Nārada speaks in a matter-of-fact, advisory tone, stating that by obtaining two hundred horses from each of four kings the required count will be completed as eight hundred, and he adds a parallel statement about his own circumstance—having only four sons—linking the discussion to concrete counts and outcomes.