तथैव धृष्टद्युम्नो ऽपि साक्षाद् अग्निसमद्युतिः ॥
वैताने कर्मणि तते पावकात् समजायत ॥
वीरो द्रोणविनाशाय धनुषा सह वीर्यवान् ॥
तथैव वेद्यां कृष्णापि जज्ञे तेजस्विनी शुभा ॥
विभ्राजमाना वपुषा बिभ्रती रूपम् उत्तमम् ॥
प्रह्रादशिष्यो नग्नजित् सुबलश् चाभवत् ततः ॥
तस्य प्रजा धर्महन्त्री जज्ञे देवप्रकोपनात् ॥
गान्धारराजपुत्रो ऽभूच् छकुनिः सौबलस् तथा ॥
दुर्योधनस्य माता च जज्ञाते ऽर्थविदाव् उभौ ॥
कृष्णद्वैपायनाज् जज्ञे धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः ॥
क्षेत्रे विचित्रवीर्यस्य पाण्डुश् चैव महाबलः ॥
पाण्डोस् तु जज्ञिरे पञ्च पुत्रा देवसमाः पृथक् ॥
द्वयोः स्त्रियोर् गुणज्येष्ठस् तेषाम् आसीद् युधिष्ठिरः ॥
धर्माद् युधिष्ठिरो जज्ञे मारुतात् तु वृकोदरः ॥
इन्द्राद् धनंजयः श्रीमान् सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥
जज्ञाते रूपसंपन्नाव् अश्विभ्यां तु यमाव् उभौ ॥
नकुलः सहदेवश् च गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतौ ॥
तथा पुत्रशतं जज्ञे धृतराष्ट्रस्य धीमतः ॥
दुर्योधनप्रभृतयो युयुत्सुः करणस् तथा ॥
tathaiva dhṛṣṭadyumno 'pi sākṣād agnisamadyutiḥ ||
vaitāne karmaṇi tate pāvakāt samajāyata ||
vīro droṇavināśāya dhanuṣā saha vīryavān ||
tathaiva vedyāṃ kṛṣṇāpi jajñe tejasvinī śubhā ||
vibhrājamānā vapuṣā bibhratī rūpam uttamam ||
prahrādaśiṣyo nagnajit subalaś cābhavat tataḥ ||
tasya prajā dharmahantrī jajñe devaprakopanāt ||
gāndhārarājaputro 'bhūc chakuniḥ saubalas tathā ||
duryodhanasya mātā ca jajñāte 'rthavidāv ubhau ||
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanāj jajñe dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ ||
kṣetre vicitravīryasya pāṇḍuś caiva mahābalaḥ ||
pāṇḍos tu jajñire pañca putrā devasamāḥ pṛthak ||
dvayoḥ striyor guṇajyeṣṭhas teṣām āsīd yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
dharmād yudhiṣṭhiro jajñe mārutāt tu vṛkodaraḥ ||
indrād dhanaṃjayaḥ śrīmān sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ||
jajñāte rūpasaṃpannāv aśvibhyāṃ tu yamāv ubhau ||
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca guruśuśrūṣaṇe ratau ||
tathā putraśataṃ jajñe dhṛtarāṣṭrasya dhīmataḥ ||
duryodhanaprabhṛtayo yuyutsuḥ karaṇas tathā ||
Likewise Dhrishtadyumna, blazing like fire, was born from the fire during the sacrificial rite then being performed — a hero, [born] for the destruction of Drona, mighty, together with a bow. Likewise, upon the sacrificial altar, Krishna (Draupadi) was born, fiery, auspicious, radiant in form, bearing supreme beauty. Prahlada's disciple [named] Nagnajit became [King] Subala; and his offspring, because of the gods' wrath, was born as one who destroys dharma. Subala's son Shakuni became the prince of Gandhara, and [his sister,] Duryodhana's mother [Gandhari, likewise]; both were born skilled in [worldly] gain. From Krishna-Dvaipayana, in the field (lineage) of Vichitravirya, were born Dhritarashtra, lord of men, and mighty Pandu. To Pandu were born five sons, equal to gods, each separately, from two wives; foremost in virtue among them was Yudhishthira. From the god Dharma was born Yudhishthira, from the god Vayu — Vrikodara (Bhima), from Indra — glorious Dhananjaya (Arjuna), best of all wielders of weapons. From the two Ashvin gods were born the beautiful twins Nakula and Sahadeva, devoted to serving their elders. Likewise, to wise Dhritarashtra were born a hundred sons headed by Duryodhana, and also Yuyutsu, [born] of the vaishya class.
d4f987387f51 · published Jul 12, 2026, 3:23:57 PM UTC
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Here are set forth the births of the epic's principal figures — and their celestial origin is once again underscored. It is significant that almost all the heroes are born of gods or from the fire of sacrifice: the Pandavas are sons of Dharma, Vayu, Indra, and the Ashvins; Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna arise from the flame of the altar. This is the teaching of the descent of divine portions (amsha-avatarana): to restore dharma on earth, gods and celestial powers descend, taking form in these heroes — so that the battle of the Bharatas is not merely a human quarrel but an earthly reflection of the heavenly contest between dharma and adharma. The contrast among these births is also significant: the Pandavas come from the gods (daiva), while the line of Subala (Shakuni, Gandhari) is born "destroying dharma" through the gods' wrath; the hundred Kauravas, meanwhile, are born in the ordinary way. Thus a moral dividing line is already marked out at the very point of origin. Note also Yuyutsu — Dhritarashtra's one son by a vaishya woman, who alone among the hundred will go over to the Pandavas and survive: even within a doomed line there is an exception. With this roster of births the "descent of portions" is complete — the celestial host has taken form, and the stage of the great drama stands ready.