Shloka 37
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 115 — Mādri’s request; invocation of the Aśvins; birth and naming of the Pāṇḍavas
शतमेकोनमप्यस्तु पुत्राणां ते महीपते । त्यजैनमेकं शान्तिं चेत् कुलस्येच्छसि भारत,“महीपते! आपके निन््यानबे पुत्र ही रहें; भारत! यदि आप अपने कुलकी शान्ति चाहते हैं तो इस एक पुत्रको त्याग दें
śatam ekonam apy astu putrāṇāṃ te mahīpate | tyajainam ekaṃ śāntiṃ cet kulasyecchasi bhārata ||
ข้าแต่มหิปติ ขอให้พระองค์มีโอรสเพียงเก้าสิบเก้าพระองค์ก็พอ โอ ภารตะ หากทรงปรารถนาความสงบแห่งราชสกุล จงละโอรสองค์นี้เสีย
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a principle of prioritizing the peace and integrity of the wider family and society over attachment to a single individual: when one person becomes the cause of persistent disorder, a ruler may need to renounce that person for the sake of collective harmony.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a king of the Bhārata/Kuru line is addressed with stark advice: rather than keeping all one hundred sons, he should keep ninety-nine and give up one—implying that this particular son threatens the peace of the dynasty.