Shloka 5

आह्वानमन्त्रप्रयोगः — Kuntī’s Invocations and the Birth-Portents of the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

तस्य वीरस्य विक्रान्तै: सहस्रशतदक्षिणै: । अश्वमेधशतैरीजे धृतराष्ट्री महामखै:,वीरवर पाण्डुके पराक्रमसे धृतराष्ट्रने बड़े-बड़े सौ अश्वमेध यज्ञ किये तथा प्रत्येक यज्ञमें एक-एक लाख स्वर्णमुद्राओंकी दक्षिणा दी

Transliteration

tasya vīrasya vikrāntaiḥ sahasraśatadakṣiṇaiḥ | aśvamedhaśatair īje dhṛtarāṣṭrī mahāmakhaiḥ ||

Translation

ด้วยเดชแห่งวีรบุรุษนั้น ธฤตราษฏระได้ประกอบอัศวเมธหนึ่งร้อยครั้ง เป็นมหามขะอันยิ่งใหญ่ และถวายทักษิณาเป็นจำนวนร้อยและพันในแต่ละพิธี

Word by Word

तस्यof him

वीरस्यof the hero

विक्रान्तैःwith valiant (means/assistants)

सहस्रशतदक्षिणैःhaving fees (dakṣiṇā) of thousands and hundreds

अश्वमेधशतैःby hundreds of Aśvamedha (sacrifices)

ईजेhe performed sacrifice / worshipped

धृतराष्ट्रीwith Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (name/epithet)

महामखैःwith great sacrifices

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice)

dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts/fees)

Dhṛtarāṣṭrī (epithet/name as it appears in the verse)

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 highlights a model of royal dharma: a king demonstrates legitimacy and responsibility through solemn public rites and, crucially, through generous dakṣiṇā. Ethical emphasis falls on largesse, honoring ritual obligations, and using power to sustain social-religious order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a heroic ruler performing a large series of Aśvamedha sacrifices—one hundred—each accompanied by substantial gifts to the priests. The narration underscores the king’s prowess and prosperity expressed through grand sacrificial patronage.