Shloka 38

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

अहं विचित्रवीर्यस्य द्वे कन्‍ये समुदावहम्‌ । जित्वा च मागधान्‌ सर्वान्‌ काशीनथ च कोसलान्‌

Transliteration

ahaṃ vicitravīryasya dve kanye samudāvaham | jitvā ca māgadhān sarvān kāśīnatha ca kosalān ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—وچترویرْیَ کے نکاح کے لیے میں نے مگدھ کے سبھی سورماؤں کو، کاشی کے ناتھ کو اور کوسل کے جنگجوؤں کو شکست دے کر کاشی راج کی دو شہزادیوں کو اٹھا لایا تھا۔

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विचित्रवीर्यस्य: of Vichitravīrya
• विचित्रवीर्यस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्रवीर्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• कन्ये: maidens/daughters
• कन्ये: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• समुदावहम्: I carried off/abducted
• समुदावहम्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-√वह्
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तम, एकवचन

• जित्वा: having conquered
• जित्वा: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव), परस्मैपदी (प्रयोगानुसार)

• च: and
• च: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मागधान्: the Magadhans (men of Magadha)
• मागधान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• काशीन्: the men of Kāśī (Kāśīs)
• काशीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अथ: and then/also
• अथ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कोसलान्: the Kosalans (men of Kosala)
• कोसलान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vicitravīrya
• Magadha
• Kāśī
• Kosala
• two princesses of Kāśī (Kāśirāja’s daughters)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds a classic Mahābhārata dilemma: actions justified as kṣatriya-dharma and service to lineage (securing a bride for the heir) can still carry moral ambiguity, especially when coercion and violence are involved. It invites reflection on how ‘duty’ and ‘right conduct’ may diverge in political life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts that, to arrange Vicitravīrya’s marriage, he went to Kāśī and carried off two royal daughters after defeating the assembled contenders—warriors from Magadha, the king of Kāśī, and fighters from Kosala—thus asserting Hastināpura’s claim through martial prowess.