Shloka 30

वंशवर्णनम् तथा विवाहप्रार्थना

Genealogy of the Ikshvaku Line and the Proposal for Marriage

Devanagari script

द्वे चास्य भार्ये गर्भिण्यौ बभूवतुरिति श्रुतम्।।1.70.30।। एका गर्भविनाशाय सपत्न्यै सगरं ददौ।

Transliteration

dve cāsya bhārye garbhiṇyau babhūvatur iti śrutam | ekā garbha-vināśāya sapatnyai sagaraṁ dadau || 1.70.30 ||

Translation

相传他的两位王后都怀了身孕。其中一位为毁坏胎儿，便将毒药给了她的共妻。

Word by Word

• dve: two
• dve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• asya: of him / his
• asya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhārye: (two) wives
• bhārye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• garbhiṇyau: pregnant
• garbhiṇyau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garbhiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective (विशेषण); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• babhūvatuḥ: became / were
• babhūvatuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• śrutam: is heard/known
• śrutam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekā: one (wife)
• ekā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral/pronominal adjective used substantively; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• garbha-vināśāya: for the destruction of the embryo
• garbha-vināśāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: garbhasya vināśaḥ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• sapatnyai: to the co-wife / rival wife
• sapatnyai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapatnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• sagaraṃ: poison (named ‘sagara’/toxic substance)
• sagaraṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Context

It is said that his (Asita's) two wives were pregnant. One gave food mixed with poison to the other with the intention of destroying her embryo.

Characters & Entities

• Asita
• Poison

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse warns against adharma born of envy: harming an unborn child violates compassion and truth-based duty within the household, undermining both family and social dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

During Asita’s exile-period narrative, a domestic conflict arises between his pregnant wives, leading to an attempted destruction of a pregnancy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through its violation), the virtue emphasized is ahiṁsā and dayā (non-harm and compassion), foundational to dharma.