Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

आनुकूल्ये वर्तमानां धृतराष्ट्रो भ्यवर्तत । कथं च शप्तस्य सत: पाण्डोस्तेन महात्मना

Transliteration

ānukūlye vartamānāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro 'bhyavartata | kathaṃ ca śaptasya sataḥ pāṇḍos tena mahātmanā ||

Translation

జనమేజయుడు అడిగెను—వారు అనుకూలతతో, సద్భావంతో ప్రవర్తిస్తున్నప్పటికీ ధృతరాష్ట్రుడు వారికి ఎలా ప్రతికూలుడయ్యాడు? అలాగే శాపగ్రస్తుడైన పాండుని విషయంలో ఆ మహాత్ముడు ఏమి చేశాడు?

Word by Word

आनुकूल्येin/with favorableness

वर्तमानाम्being/remaining (in that state)

धृतराष्ट्रःDhṛtarāṣṭra

अभ्यवर्ततturned towards / complied / acted accordingly

कथम्how

चand

शप्तस्यof (one) cursed

सतःof (one) being / existing

पाण्डोःof Pāṇḍu

तेनby him / by that

महात्मनाby the great-souled (one)

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍu

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry into how power and kinship can diverge from goodwill: even when others act cooperatively, a ruler may still oppose them, and a curse (śāpa) can become a decisive moral and political factor shaping duty, conduct, and succession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya presses the narrator for clarification about two linked issues: why Dhṛtarāṣṭra acted in opposition despite an atmosphere of goodwill, and how the noble figure involved handled matters concerning Pāṇḍu, who was living under a curse—setting up explanation of the dynastic tensions and the consequences of Pāṇḍu’s śāpa.