Mahabharata · 1.191.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
कुरुजाङ्गलमुख्येषु राष्ट्रेषु नगरेषु च ॥
अनु त्वम् अभिषिच्यस्व नृपतिं धर्मवत्सलम् ॥
पतिभिर् निर्जिताम् उर्वीं विक्रमेण महाबलैः ॥
कुरु ब्राह्मणसात् सर्वाम् अश्वमेधे महाक्रतौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kurujāṅgalamukhyeṣu rāṣṭreṣu nagareṣu ca ||
anu tvam abhiṣicyasva nṛpatiṃ dharmavatsalam ||
patibhir nirjitām urvīṃ vikrameṇa mahābalaiḥ ||
kuru brāhmaṇasāt sarvām aśvamedhe mahākratau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कुरुजाङ्गलमुख्येषु राष्ट्रेषु नगरेषु चkurujāṅgalamukhyeṣu rāṣṭreṣu nagareṣu caover the kingdoms and cities, foremost among them Kurujangala,
अनु त्वम् अभिषिच्यस्व नृपतिं धर्मवत्सलम्anu tvam abhiṣicyasva nṛpatiṃ dharmavatsalammay you be anointed following your husband, the king devoted to dharma;
पतिभिः निर्जिताम् उर्वीं विक्रमेण महाबलैःpatibhiḥ nirjitām urvīṃ vikrameṇa mahābalaiḥthe earth, conquered by the valor of your mighty husbands,
कुरु ब्राह्मणसात् सर्वाम् अश्वमेधे महाक्रतौkuru brāhmaṇasāt sarvām aśvamedhe mahākrataumake it wholly given over to the brahmins in the great sacrifice of the Ashvamedha;
पतिभिर्patibhiroriginal form "patibhir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Over the kingdoms and cities, foremost among them Kurujangala, may you be anointed following your husband, the king devoted to dharma; the earth, conquered by the valor of your mighty husbands, make it wholly given over to the brahmins in the great sacrifice of the Ashvamedha."
Version
919589b8a5cd · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the blessing of kingship is joined to sacrifice and generosity. It is significant that Kunti wishes not for power for its own sake, but for a conquered land offered up for the Ashvamedha and given to the brahmins: sovereignty is sanctified by sacrifice and by charity. True kingship is service to dharma, not to oneself. Thus the scripture shows the ideal of righteous rule, and the blessing points the Pandavas toward a high purpose -- power in the glory of dharma.