Shloka 28

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

पौरवो नाम राजर्षि: स बभूव नरोत्तम: । कुपटस्तु महावीर्य: श्रीमान्‌ राजन्‌ महासुर:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

pauravo nāma rājarṣiḥ sa babhūva narottamaḥ |

kupaṭas tu mahāvīryaḥ śrīmān rājan mahāsuraḥ ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—انسانوں میں پَورَوَ نام کا ایک برتر راجَرشی پیدا ہوا۔ اور اے بادشاہ، عظیم قوت و جلال والا مہااسور کُپَٹ بھی انسانی دنیا میں ایک طاقتور فرمانروا کے روپ میں پیدا ہوا۔

Word by Word

• पौरवः: Paurava (name of a king)
• पौरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name / named
• नाम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राजर्षिः: royal sage
• राजर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बभूव: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• नरोत्तमः: best of men
• नरोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुपटः: Kupata (name)
• कुपटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुपट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• महावीर्यः: of great valor
• महावीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमान्: splendid / prosperous
• श्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महासुरः: great asura/demon
• महासुरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयःशिराः: Ayahśiras (name; 'iron-headed')
• अयःशिराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयःशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अश्वशिराः: Aśvaśiras (name; 'horse-headed')
• अश्वशिराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वीर्यवान्: powerful
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयःशङ्कुः: Ayahśaṅku (name; 'iron-spike')
• अयःशङ्कुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयःशङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गगनमूर्धा: Gaganamūrdhan (name; 'sky-headed')
• गगनमूर्धा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगनमूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेगवान्: swift
• वेगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Paurava
• Kupaṭa
• rājan (addressed king, i.e., Janamejaya in context)
• Asura (class of beings)
• rājarṣi (royal sage, title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports a broader Mahābhārata theme: cosmic forces (Devas/Asuras) manifest in human history, and kingship is morally charged—power and splendor must be aligned with dharma, since even superhuman origins do not guarantee righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a catalogue describing how various Asuras and other beings take birth on earth as human rulers. Here he names Paurava as an exemplary royal sage and identifies the great Asura Kupaṭa as also taking human birth as a king.