The Birth of Yudhishthira, Son of Dharmaraja

Verse 1 (skanda.6.140.1)

॥ ऋषय ऊचुः ॥ यदेतद्भवता प्रोक्तं पुत्रो मानुषविग्रहः ॥ भविष्यति यमस्यात्र कः संभूतः स सूतज

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ yadetadbhavatā proktaṁ putro mānuṣavigrahaḥ bhaviṣyati yamasyātra kaḥ saṁbhūtaḥ sa sūtaja

The sages said: O son of Suta, you told us that a son of human form would be born to Yama — in what form was that son actually born?

Verse 2 (skanda.6.140.2)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ तस्य पुत्रः समुत्पन्नः पांडोः क्षेत्रे महीतले ॥ युधिष्ठिर इति ख्यातः सर्वक्षत्रियपुंगवः

sūta uvāca tasya putraḥ samutpannaḥ pāṁḍoḥ kṣetre mahītale yudhiṣṭhira iti khyātaḥ sarvakṣatriyapuṁgavaḥ

Suta said: His son was born upon this earth in the field of Pandu, renowned by the name Yudhishthira, foremost among all kshatriyas.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.140.3)

राजसूयो मखो येन इष्टः सम्पूर्णदक्षिणः ॥ सर्वान्भूमिपतीन्वीर्यात्संविधाय करप्रदान्

rājasūyo makho yena iṣṭaḥ sampūrṇadakṣiṇaḥ sarvānbhūmipatīnvīryātsaṁvidhāya karapradān

By his own valour he made all kings of the earth tribute-bearers, and thereafter performed the Rajasuya sacrifice with complete sacrificial gifts.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.140.4)

अश्वमेधाः कृताः पंच तथा सम्पूर्णदक्षिणाः ॥ भ्रामयित्वा हयं भूमौ पश्चात्प्राप स सद्गतिम्

aśvamedhāḥ kṛtāḥ paṁca tathā sampūrṇadakṣiṇāḥ bhrāmayitvā hayaṁ bhūmau paścātprāpa sa sadgatim

He also performed five Ashvamedha sacrifices, complete with their gifts, sending forth the sacrificial horse over the earth, and thereafter he attained the highest, blessed state.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.140.5)

एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोपि गयां व्रजेत् ॥ यजेत वाऽश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्

eṣṭavyā bahavaḥ putrā yadyekopi gayāṁ vrajet yajeta vā'śvamedhena nīlaṁ vā vṛṣamutsṛjet

One should long for many sons, in the hope that even one among them might go to Gaya, or perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice, or offer up the blue-marked bull.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.140.6)

यदनेन वृतं मत्तः पुत्रित्वं सुमहात्मना ॥ हयमेधान्महायज्ञान्कर्ता स्यादस्य वै सुतः

yadanena vṛtaṁ mattaḥ putritvaṁ sumahātmanā hayamedhānmahāyajñānkartā syādasya vai sutaḥ

That very son whom this great soul chose from among his own for the bond of fatherhood became indeed the very one who performed great sacrifices such as the Ashvamedha.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.140.7)

मन्येत कृतकृत्यत्वं येन पुत्रेण धर्मपः ॥ अन्यैः पुत्रशतैः किं वा वंशानुद्धारकारकैः

manyeta kṛtakṛtyatvaṁ yena putreṇa dharmapaḥ anyaiḥ putraśataiḥ kiṁ vā vaṁśānuddhārakārakaiḥ

By such a son alone does one devoted to dharma consider himself fulfilled — what use, then, are a hundred other sons who fail to uplift the family line?

Verse 8 (skanda.6.140.8)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं धर्मराजसुतोद्भवम् ॥ आख्यानं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठा धर्मवृद्धिकरं परम्

sūta uvāca etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ dharmarājasutodbhavam ākhyānaṁ brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhā dharmavṛddhikaraṁ param

Suta said: O best of brahmins, I have thus recounted to you in full this whole account of the birth of Dharmaraja's son, a tale that most greatly increases dharma.