राम

Harivaṃśa-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 26

28 versesThe Line of Jyāmagha

Synopsis

From Kroṣṭu's son Vṛjinīvān the chapter traces a long branch: Svāhi, then Ruṣadgu the great sacrificer, then a succession of rulers. The famous king Jyāmagha wanders alone on the bank of the Narmadā, crosses the Ṛkṣavat mountain, and settles on the Śuktimatī. His line becomes the Sātvatas. The chapter closes with a phala-śruti: one who knows this creation of Jyāmagha is joined with deep joy and becomes possessed of progeny.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

Jyāmagha's Loyalty and the Sātvata Lineage: Verses 1, 5, 10, 15, 17, 27, 28: Vṛjinīvān as Kroṣṭu's son, Pṛthuśravas as Śaśabindu's son, Rukmakavaca defeating a hundred armored bowmen, Jyāmagha's loyalty to his aged wife Caitrā/Śaibyā despite childlessness, the fearful 'snuṣā' excuse that became truth by Śaibyā's tapas, the Sātvata-lineage's origin in Mātā-Mātu's offspring on Vaidarbhī, and the chapter's phala-śruti on knowing Jyāmagha's visṛṣṭi. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

क्रोष्टोर् एवाभवत् पुत्रो वृजिनीवान् महायशाः वार्जिनीवतम् इच्छन्ति स्वाहिं स्वाहाकृतां वरम्

kroṣṭor evābhavat putro vṛjinīvān mahāyaśāḥ vārjinīvatam icchanti svāhiṃ svāhākṛtāṃ varam

Of Kroṣṭu the son was Vṛjinīvān, of great fame. His descendants wish for Svāhi, best of those who receive the svāhā-call.

Verse 2

स्वाहिपुत्रो ऽभवद् राजा रुषद्गुर् वदतां वरः महाक्रतुभिर् ईजे यो विविधैर् आप्तदक्षिणैः

svāhiputro 'bhavad rājā ruṣadgur vadatāṃ varaḥ mahākratubhir īje yo vividhair āptadakṣiṇaiḥ

Verse 3

शतप्रसूतिम् इच्छन् वै रुषद्गुः सो ऽग्र्यम् आत्मजम् चित्रैश् चित्ररथस् तस्य पुत्रः कर्मभिर् अन्वितः

śataprasūtim icchan vai ruṣadguḥ so 'gryam ātmajam citraiś citrarathas tasya putraḥ karmabhir anvitaḥ

Verse 4

आसीच् चैत्ररथिर् वीरो यज्वा विपुलदक्षिणः शशबिन्दुः परं वृत्तं राजर्षीणाम् अनुष्ठितः

āsīc caitrarathir vīro yajvā vipuladakṣiṇaḥ śaśabinduḥ paraṃ vṛttaṃ rājarṣīṇām anuṣṭhitaḥ

Verse 5

पृथुश्रवाः पृथुयशा राजासीच् छाशबिन्दुजः शंसन्ति च पुराणज्ञाः पार्थश्रवसम् अन्तरम्

pṛthuśravāḥ pṛthuyaśā rājāsīc chāśabindujaḥ śaṃsanti ca purāṇajñāḥ pārthaśravasam antaram

Verse 6

अन्तरस्य सुयज्ञस् तु सुयज्ञतनयो ऽभवत् उषतो यज्ञम् अखिलं स्वधर्मम् उषतां वरः

antarasya suyajñas tu suyajñatanayo 'bhavat uṣato yajñam akhilaṃ svadharmam uṣatāṃ varaḥ

Verse 7

उद्यतस् तस्य धर्मात्मा+ +भवत् पुत्रवतांवरः शिनेयुर् अभवत् पुत्र उषतः शत्रुतापनः मरुत्तस् तस्य तनयो राजर्षिर् अभवन् नृपः

udyatas tasya dharmātmā+ +bhavat putravatāṃvaraḥ śineyur abhavat putra uṣataḥ śatrutāpanaḥ maruttas tasya tanayo rājarṣir abhavan nṛpaḥ

Verse 8

मरुत्तो ऽलभत ज्येष्ठं सुतं कम्बलबर्हिषम् चचार परमं धर्मम् अमर्षात् प्रेत्यभाववित्

marutto 'labhata jyeṣṭhaṃ sutaṃ kambalabarhiṣam cacāra paramaṃ dharmam amarṣāt pretyabhāvavit

Verse 9

शतप्रसूतिम् इच्छन् वै सुतं कम्बलबर्हिषः बभूव रुक्मकवचः शतप्रसवतः सुतः

śataprasūtim icchan vai sutaṃ kambalabarhiṣaḥ babhūva rukmakavacaḥ śataprasavataḥ sutaḥ

Verse 10

निहत्य रुक्मकवचः शतं कवचिनां रणे धन्विनां निशितैर् बाणैर् अवाप श्रियम् उत्तमाम्

nihatya rukmakavacaḥ śataṃ kavacināṃ raṇe dhanvināṃ niśitair bāṇair avāpa śriyam uttamām

Verse 11

जज्ञे च रुक्मकवचात् पराजित् परवीरहा जज्ञिरे पञ्च पुत्रास् तु महावीर्याः पराजिताः रुक्मेषुः पृथुरुक्मश् च ज्यामघः पालितो हरिः

jajñe ca rukmakavacāt parājit paravīrahā jajñire pañca putrās tu mahāvīryāḥ parājitāḥ rukmeṣuḥ pṛthurukmaś ca jyāmaghaḥ pālito hariḥ

Verse 12

पालितं च हरिं चैव विदेहेभ्यः पिता ददौ रुक्मेषुर् अभवद् राजा पृथुरुक्मश् च संश्रितः ताभ्यां प्रव्राजितो राज्याज् ज्यामघो ऽवसद् आश्रमे

pālitaṃ ca hariṃ caiva videhebhyaḥ pitā dadau rukmeṣur abhavad rājā pṛthurukmaś ca saṃśritaḥ tābhyāṃ pravrājito rājyāj jyāmagho 'vasad āśrame

Verse 13

प्रशान्तः स वनस्थस् तु ब्राह्मणेनावबोधितः जगाम रथम् आस्थाय देशम् अन्यं ध्वजी रथी

praśāntaḥ sa vanasthas tu brāhmaṇenāvabodhitaḥ jagāma ratham āsthāya deśam anyaṃ dhvajī rathī

Verse 14

नर्मदाकूलम् एकाकी नर्मदां मृत्तिकावतीम् ऋक्षवन्तं गिरिं जित्वा शुक्तिमत्याम् उवास सः

narmadākūlam ekākī narmadāṃ mṛttikāvatīm ṛkṣavantaṃ giriṃ jitvā śuktimatyām uvāsa saḥ

Verse 15

ज्यामघस्याभवद् भार्या चैत्रा परिणता सती अपुत्रो ऽपि च राजा स नान्यां भार्याम् अविन्दत

jyāmaghasyābhavad bhāryā caitrā pariṇatā satī aputro 'pi ca rājā sa nānyāṃ bhāryām avindata

Verse 16

तस्यासीद् विजयो युद्धे तत्र कन्याम् अवाप सः रथम् आरोप्य सा नीता पत्न्यर्थं स्त्रीनिवेशनम् तां दृष्ट्वा रुषिता शैब्या भर्तारम् इदम् अब्रवीत् किमर्थम् इयम् आनीता सपत्नी दुर्नया मम भार्याम् उवाच संत्रासात् स्नुषेति स नरेश्वरः

tasyāsīd vijayo yuddhe tatra kanyām avāpa saḥ ratham āropya sā nītā patnyarthaṃ strīniveśanam tāṃ dṛṣṭvā ruṣitā śaibyā bhartāram idam abravīt kimartham iyam ānītā sapatnī durnayā mama bhāryām uvāca saṃtrāsāt snuṣeti sa nareśvaraḥ

Verse 17

एतच् छ्रुत्वाब्रवीद् एनं कस्य चेयं स्नुषेति वै न हि प्रसूता पुत्रेण नान्या भार्यास्ति तेऽनघ स्नुषा संबन्धवाग् एषा कतमेन सुतेन ते अब्रवीत् तद् उपश्रुत्य ज्यामघोराजसत्तमः यस् ते जनिष्यते पुत्रस् तस्य भार्येति जातभीः

etac chrutvābravīd enaṃ kasya ceyaṃ snuṣeti vai na hi prasūtā putreṇa nānyā bhāryāsti te'nagha snuṣā saṃbandhavāg eṣā katamena sutena te abravīt tad upaśrutya jyāmaghorājasattamaḥ yas te janiṣyate putras tasya bhāryeti jātabhīḥ

Verse 18

उग्रेण तपसा तस्याः कन्यायाः सा व्यजायत पुत्र्यां विदर्भं सुभागा चैत्रा परिणता सती

ugreṇa tapasā tasyāḥ kanyāyāḥ sā vyajāyata putryāṃ vidarbhaṃ subhāgā caitrā pariṇatā satī

Verse 19

राजपुत्र्यां तु विद्वांसौ स्नुषायां क्रथकैशिकौ पश्चाद् विदर्भो ऽजनयच् छूरौ रणविशारदौ

rājaputryāṃ tu vidvāṃsau snuṣāyāṃ krathakaiśikau paścād vidarbho 'janayac chūrau raṇaviśāradau

Verse 20

लोमपादं तृतीयं तु पुत्रंपरमधार्मिकम् लोमपादात्मजो बभ्रुर् आह्वतिस् तस्य चात्मजः आह्वतेः कैशिकश् चैव विद्वान् परमधार्मिकः कैशिकस्य चिदिः पुत्रस् तस्माच् चैद्या नृपाः स्मृताः भीमो विदर्भस्य सुतः कुन्तिस् तस्यात्मजो ऽभवत् कुन्तेर् धृष्टः सुतो जज्ञे रणधृष्टः प्रतापवान्

lomapādaṃ tṛtīyaṃ tu putraṃparamadhārmikam lomapādātmajo babhrur āhvatis tasya cātmajaḥ āhvateḥ kaiśikaś caiva vidvān paramadhārmikaḥ kaiśikasya cidiḥ putras tasmāc caidyā nṛpāḥ smṛtāḥ bhīmo vidarbhasya sutaḥ kuntis tasyātmajo 'bhavat kunter dhṛṣṭaḥ suto jajñe raṇadhṛṣṭaḥ pratāpavān

Verse 21

धृष्टस्य जज्ञिरे शूरास् त्रयः परमधार्मिकाः आवन्तश् च दशार्हश् च बली विष्णुहरश् च यः

dhṛṣṭasya jajñire śūrās trayaḥ paramadhārmikāḥ āvantaś ca daśārhaś ca balī viṣṇuharaś ca yaḥ

Verse 22

दशार्हस्य सुतो व्योमा विद्वाञ् जीमूत उच्यते जीमूतपुत्रो वृकतिस् तस्य भीमरथः सुतः

daśārhasya suto vyomā vidvāñ jīmūta ucyate jīmūtaputro vṛkatis tasya bhīmarathaḥ sutaḥ

Verse 23

अथ भीमरथस्यासीत् पुत्रो नवरथस् तथा तस्य चासीद् दशरथः शकुनिस् तस्य चात्मजः

atha bhīmarathasyāsīt putro navarathas tathā tasya cāsīd daśarathaḥ śakunis tasya cātmajaḥ

Verse 24

तस्मात् करम्भः कारम्भिर् देवरातो ऽभवन् नृपः देवक्षत्रो ऽभवत् तस्य दैवक्षत्रिर् महात्मनः

tasmāt karambhaḥ kārambhir devarāto 'bhavan nṛpaḥ devakṣatro 'bhavat tasya daivakṣatrir mahātmanaḥ

Verse 25

देवगर्भसमो जज्ञे देवक्षत्रस्य नन्दनः मधूनां वंशकृद् राजा मधुर् मधुरवाग् अपि

devagarbhasamo jajñe devakṣatrasya nandanaḥ madhūnāṃ vaṃśakṛd rājā madhur madhuravāg api

Verse 26

मधोर् जज्ञे तु वैदर्भ्यां पुरुत्वान् पुरुषोत्तमः पुत्रो मरुवसस् तथा आसीन् मरुवसः पुत्रः माता जज्ञे ऽथ वैदर्भ्यां भद्रवत्यां कुरूद्वह

madhor jajñe tu vaidarbhyāṃ purutvān puruṣottamaḥ putro maruvasas tathā āsīn maruvasaḥ putraḥ mātā jajñe 'tha vaidarbhyāṃ bhadravatyāṃ kurūdvaha

Verse 27

एक्ष्वाकी चाभवद् भार्या मातुस् तस्याम् अजायत सर्वसत्त्वगुणोपेतः सात्वतां कीर्तिवर्धनः

ekṣvākī cābhavad bhāryā mātus tasyām ajāyata sarvasattvaguṇopetaḥ sātvatāṃ kīrtivardhanaḥ

Verse 28

यत्रासन् सद्गुणोपेताः सात्वताः कुलवर्धनाः इमां विसृष्टिं विज्ञाय ज्यामघस्य महात्मनः युज्यते परया प्रीत्या प्रजावांश् च भवत्य् उत

yatrāsan sadguṇopetāḥ sātvatāḥ kulavardhanāḥ imāṃ visṛṣṭiṃ vijñāya jyāmaghasya mahātmanaḥ yujyate parayā prītyā prajāvāṃś ca bhavaty uta

There were the Sātvatas, endowed with virtues, family-increasers. One who knows this creation of the great-souled Jyāmagha is joined by supreme affection and becomes possessed of progeny.

Verse commentary

Jyāmagha's Loyalty and the Sātvata Lineage

ज्यामघशैब्याकाहनी सात्वतवंशप्रारम्भश् च

Verses 1, 5, 10, 15, 17, 27, 28: Vṛjinīvān as Kroṣṭu's son, Pṛthuśravas as Śaśabindu's son, Rukmakavaca defeating a hundred armored bowmen, Jyāmagha's loyalty to his aged wife Caitrā/Śaibyā despite childlessness, the fearful 'snuṣā' excuse that became truth by Śaibyā's tapas, the Sātvata-lineage's origin in Mātā-Mātu's offspring on Vaidarbhī, and the chapter's phala-śruti on knowing Jyāmagha's visṛṣṭi. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 26 is the chapter of Jyāmagha's extraordinary loyalty and its consequences. Childless with his aged wife Caitrā/Śaibyā, the king neither took another wife nor abandoned her. Then, in a campaign-victory, he brought home a young princess; when Śaibyā angrily accused him, Jyāmagha — *saṃtrāsāt*, out of fear — invented the lie: *snuṣā iti*, 'she is your daughter-in-law'. But they had no son. Yet by Śaibyā's severe tapas (and by the strange law of *satyam mano-vacas*-ifying), she bore a son Vidarbha in old age; the captive princess became his wife; the Sātvata-lineage (the Yādava line directly leading to Kṛṣṇa) then unfolds. The chapter ends with a phala-śruti promising that whoever knows Jyāmagha's *visṛṣṭi* is yoked to *parā prīti* and becomes *prajāvān*. The Harivaṃśa's teaching: faithfulness preserved against all pressure is itself reproductive.

HV 26.1

क्रोष्टोर् एवाभवत् पुत्रो वृजिनीवान् महायशाः । वार्जिनीवतम् इच्छन्ति स्वाहिं स्वाहाकृतां वरम् ॥

kroṣṭor evābhavat putro vṛjinīvān mahā-yaśāḥ | vārjinīvatam icchanti svāhiṃ svāhā-kṛtāṃ varam

Kroṣṭu's son was Vṛjinīvān of great fame; they consider Svāhi — best of svāhā-performers — to be Vārjinīvat's descendant.

The Living Words

*Kroṣṭoḥ putraḥ vṛjinīvān*, 'Kroṣṭu's son Vṛjinīvān'. *Vārjinīvatam icchanti svāhim*, 'they consider Svāhi [descendant] of Vārjinīvat'. *Svāhā-kṛtāṃ varam*, 'best of svāhā-performers'.

The Heart of It

The verse opens the Kroṣṭu-line's further descent. *Svāhā-kṛtāṃ varam* — 'best of svāhā-performers' (those who make offerings with *svāhā*-cry). The Varkari tradition's attention: royal lineages are measured by the *svāhā-kara-tā* of their kings, their ritual-offering quality. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's sense that *svāhā*-quality marks dharma-rulers — not merely conquest but ritual completeness — has HV 26.1 as its Sanskrit token.

HV 26.5

पृथुश्रवाः पृथुयशा राजासीच् छाशबिन्दुजः । शंसन्ति च पुराणज्ञाः पार्थश्रवसम् अन्तरम् ॥

pṛthu-śravāḥ pṛthu-yaśā rājāsīc chāśa-bindujaḥ | śaṃsanti ca purāṇa-jñāḥ pārtha-śravasam antaram

Pṛthuśravas — pṛthu-yaśā, the king, Śaśabindu's son. The Purāṇa-knowers praise him as Pārthaśravas within.

The Living Words

*Pṛthu-śravāḥ pṛthu-yaśāḥ*, 'of far-heard, far-famed'. *Rājā śāśa-bindu-jaḥ*, 'the king, Śaśabindu's son'. *Pārtha-śravasam*, 'Pārthaśravas [= earth-heard]'.

The Heart of It

The verse names a king by double-epithet of fame. *Pṛthu-śravāḥ pṛthu-yaśāḥ* — 'of wide-hearing and wide-fame'. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the king whose *śravas* (hearing, in the sense of how far his name is heard) and *yaśas* (fame, reputation) are both *pṛthu* (extensive) — is the ideal ruler. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's sense that *pṛthu-śravas* is a royal quality the bhakta can also pursue — one's name should be heard with respect across distance — has HV 26.5 as its Sanskrit coinage.

HV 26.10

निहत्य रुक्मकवचः शतं कवचिनां रणे । धन्विनां निशितैर् बाणैर् अवाप श्रियम् उत्तमाम् ॥

nihatya rukma-kavacaḥ śataṃ kavacināṃ raṇe | dhanvināṃ niśitaiḥ bāṇair avāpa śriyam uttamām

Rukmakavaca, having killed a hundred armored bowmen in combat with sharp arrows, obtained supreme fortune.

The Living Words

*Nihatya rukma-kavacaḥ*, 'Rukmakavaca, having killed'. *Śataṃ kavacināṃ dhanvinām*, 'a hundred armored bowmen'. *Niśitaiḥ bāṇaiḥ*, 'with sharp arrows'. *Avāpa śriyam uttamām*, 'obtained supreme fortune'.

The Heart of It

The verse gives a specific victory. *Śataṃ kavacināṃ nihatya... avāpa śriyam* — 'having killed a hundred armored bowmen, obtained fortune'. The Varkari tradition's attention: fortune (*śrī*) comes after specific victories, not from hereditary alone. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that even kingly *śrī* requires specific *kavacin-vadha*, specific overcoming of defended enemies, has HV 26.10 as its Sanskrit warrant. Fortune answers performance, not mere claim.

HV 26.15

ज्यामघस्याभवद् भार्या चैत्रा परिणता सती । अपुत्रो ऽपि च राजा स नान्यां भार्याम् अविन्दत ॥

jyāmaghasyābhavad bhāryā caitrā pariṇatā satī | a-putro 'pi ca rājā sa nānyāṃ bhāryām avindata

Jyāmagha's wife was Caitrā, aged and virtuous. Even son-less, the king took no other wife.

The Living Words

*Caitrā pariṇatā satī*, 'Caitrā aged and virtuous'. *A-putro 'pi rājā*, 'the king, though son-less'. *Nānyāṃ bhāryām avindata*, 'took no other wife'.

The Heart of It

The verse is one of the Harivaṃśa's most moving lines. *A-putro 'pi ca rājā sa nānyāṃ bhāryām avindata* — 'even son-less, the king took no other wife'. The Varkari tradition's deep teaching: Jyāmagha's fidelity to his aged and childless wife is itself a *tapas*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's constant honoring of *eka-patnī-vrata* — even in contexts that would classically justify taking another wife (childlessness) — has HV 26.15 as its Sanskrit exemplar. Jyāmagha's loyalty is pre-condition of what comes next.

HV 26.17

एतच् छ्रुत्वाब्रवीद् एनं कस्य चेयं स्नुषेति वै । न हि प्रसूता पुत्रेण नान्या भार्यास्ति ते ऽनघ । स्नुषा संबन्धवाग् एषा कतमेन सुतेन ते । अब्रवीत् तद् उपश्रुत्य ज्यामघो राजसत्तमः । यस् ते जनिष्यते पुत्रस् तस्य भार्येति जातभीः ॥

etac chrutvābravīd enaṃ kasya ceyaṃ snuṣeti vai | na hi prasūtā putreṇa nānyā bhāryāsti te'nagha | snuṣā saṃbandha-vāg eṣā katamena sutena te | abravīt tad upaśrutya jyāmagho rāja-sattamaḥ | yas te janiṣyate putras tasya bhāryeti jāta-bhīḥ

Hearing this, she said: 'And whose daughter-in-law is this? — you have no son-born, nor another wife, sinless one. Daughter-in-law is a relational word; by which son of yours [is she so]?' Hearing that, Jyāmagha, best of kings — fearing — said: 'She is the wife of whatever son shall be born to you.'

The Living Words

*Kasya iyaṃ snuṣā*, 'whose daughter-in-law is this?'. *Na hi prasūtā putreṇa*, 'you have not borne a son'. *Snuṣā saṃbandha-vāk*, 'daughter-in-law is a relational word'. *Yas te janiṣyate putras tasya bhāryā*, 'she is the wife of whatever son shall be born to you'. *Jāta-bhīḥ*, 'fearing'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's most dramatic dialogue on the ethics of fearful speech. *Yas te janiṣyate putras tasya bhāryā iti jāta-bhīḥ* — 'she is the wife of whatever son shall be born to you — [he said] out of fear'. The Varkari tradition's complex reading: Jyāmagha, unable to say 'my concubine', invents a hypothetical: *she is the future-son's wife*. Śaibyā accepts this; her tapas makes the hypothetical into a fact. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that even *jāta-bhīḥ* speech, spoken in fear, can become true by a virtuous counterparty's *tapas* — has HV 26.17 as its Sanskrit paradox. Speech shapes reality when met with devotional effort.

HV 26.27

एक्ष्वाकी चाभवद् भार्या मातुस् तस्याम् अजायत । सर्वसत्त्वगुणोपेतः सात्वतां कीर्तिवर्धनः ॥

ekṣvākī cābhavad bhāryā mātus tasyām ajāyata | sarva-sattva-guṇopetaḥ sātvatāṃ kīrti-vardhanaḥ

Ikṣvākī was Mātu's wife; in her was born [the son] endowed with all sattva-guṇas, the fame-increaser of the Sātvatas.

The Living Words

*Ekṣvākī bhāryā mātuḥ*, 'Ikṣvākī, Mātu's wife'. *Sarva-sattva-guṇopetaḥ*, 'endowed with all sattva-guṇas'. *Sātvatāṃ kīrti-vardhanaḥ*, 'fame-increaser of the Sātvatas'.

The Heart of It

The verse names the founder-descendant of the *Sātvatas* — the Yādava sub-lineage that will directly produce Kṛṣṇa. *Sātvatām kīrti-vardhanaḥ* — 'fame-increaser of the Sātvatas'. The Varkari tradition's attention: the *Sātvata-saṃjñā*, Sātvata-name, is what Kṛṣṇa's people will bear in the Mahābhārata's standard epithet *sātvatā vṛṣṇayaḥ*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's reverence for the *Sātvata*-tradition — the Bhāgavata lineage — has HV 26.27 as its origin-point. *Sarva-sattva-guṇopeta* — 'endowed with all sattva-guṇas' — the founder is first of all *sāttvika*.

HV 26.28

इमां विसृष्टिं विज्ञाय ज्यामघस्य महात्मनः । युज्यते परया प्रीत्या प्रजावांश् च भवत्य् उत ॥

imāṃ visṛṣṭiṃ vijñāya jyāmaghasya mahātmanaḥ | yujyate parayā prītyā prajāvāṃś ca bhavaty uta

Knowing this visṛṣṭi (release-progeny) of the great-souled Jyāmagha, [one] is yoked with supreme prīti, and becomes prajā-vān.

The Living Words

*Imāṃ visṛṣṭim vijñāya*, 'knowing this visṛṣṭi'. *Jyāmaghasya mahātmanaḥ*, 'of the great-souled Jyāmagha'. *Yujyate parayā prītyā*, 'is yoked with supreme prīti'. *Prajāvāṃś ca bhavaty uta*, 'and becomes prajā-vān'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the chapter's phala-śruti. *Imāṃ visṛṣṭiṃ vijñāya... prajāvāṃś ca bhavati* — 'knowing this visṛṣṭi... one becomes prajā-vān'. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the childless-Jyāmagha-yet-ancestor story is itself a *prajā-prada-kathā*, a progeny-giving story. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's reverence for Jyāmagha-as-paradigm — the childless man whose fidelity produced the Sātvata lineage — has HV 26.28 as its Sanskrit warrant. The reciter receives what the story's hero received. *Prajāvān* flows from *jyāmagha-smṛti*.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's arc: Kroṣṭu's descent through Vṛjinīvān (26.1), Pṛthuśravas the pṛthu-yaśas (26.5), Rukmakavaca's śata-kavacin-vadha (26.10), Jyāmagha's eka-patnī-loyalty despite childlessness (26.15), the 'snuṣā' fear-invented truth (26.17), the Sātvata-lineage begun with the sarva-sattva-guṇopeta founder (26.27), and the phala-śruti promising parā prīti and prajā-vattva (26.28). The Harivaṃśa's teaching that fidelity under pressure is itself reproductive of lineage.

Echo in the saints

HV 26.15 — Jyāmagha's *nānyāṃ bhāryām avindata* — is the Warkari tradition's Sanskrit model for *eka-patnī-vrata* maintained even under the classical justification of childlessness. Jñāneśvar's reverence for faithful householders — Tukaram and his wife Jijāī, even when the marriage was difficult — has HV 26.15 as an ancient precedent. And HV 26.17's paradox — that *jāta-bhīḥ* speech could become *satya* by Śaibyā's tapas — is read by Warkari teachers as a teaching on how devotional effort by one party can *redeem* fearful speech by another.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 10.4–5

Truth aligns with dharma even in apparent falsehood.

सत्यं दमः शमः सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥

satyaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo'bhāvo bhayaṃ cābhayam eva ca

Truth, self-control, calm, joy, sorrow, being, non-being, fear, and fearlessness...

HV 26.17's jāta-bhīḥ speech becoming truth by Śaibyā's tapas is a narrative enactment of the Gītā's broader teaching that the virtues Kṛṣṇa lists (satya, dama, śama) are continuous with each other. When dama and tapas are present, satya-alignment follows even for speech that began in bhaya. The Warkari tradition reads them together on how devotional effort transforms fearful beginnings.

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BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.