SAUNDARANANDA 1.21: Intolerance & Integrity

maatR-shulkaad upagataaM
te shriyaM na viShehire
rarakShush ca pituH satyaM
yasmaac chishriyire vanaM

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1.21
The royal authority that had come to him,
as his mother's bride-price,

They could not endure;

And yet they kept their father's promise,

In accordance with which
they had retreated to the forest.

COMMENT:
The picture that Ashvaghosha is going to paint of the princes, as I see it, is a picture of human human beings, and not a one-sided picture.

So here is evidence, on the one hand, of their pride and intolerance, and on the other hand, of their integrity and loyalty.

EH Johnston:
They did not lay violent hands on the sovereignty which came to him as his mother's bride-price, but kept inviolate their father's promise, wherefore they had come to the forest.

Linda Covill:
The worthy princes, large-natured and wise, could not stomach the rank that had come to their unworthy, fickle-minded and foolish younger half-brother as his mother's dowry, and observing their father's vow, had retreated to the forest.

VOCABULARY:
maatR-shulkaad (abl. sg.): the bride-price of his mother
maatR: mother
shulka: m. price; nuptial gift (orig. a price given to parents for the purchase of a bride , but in later times bestowed on the wife as her own property together with the profits of household labour , domestic utensils , ornaments &c ) , dower , dowry , marriage settlement
upagataam (acc. sg. f.): arrived

te (nom. pl.): they
shriyam = acc. sg. f. shrii: prosperity , welfare , good fortune , success , auspiciousness , wealth , treasure , riches , high rank , power , might , majesty , royal dignity
na: not
viShehire = 3rd pers. pl. perfect viShah: to conquer , subdue , overpower , be a match for (acc.) ; to be able to or capable of (inf.) ; to bear , withstand , resist ; to endure , suffer , put up with (acc. also with inf.)

rarakShuH = 3rd pers. pl. perfect: rakSh: to guard , watch , take care of , protect , save , preserve; to keep (a secret)
ca: and
pituH = abl./gen. pitR: m. father
satyam (acc. sg.): n. speaking the truth , sincerity , veracity ; n. a solemn asseveration , vow , promise , oath (satyaM cikiirShamaaNa, "wishing to fulfil one's promise or keep one's word")

yasmaat: ind. from which, because of which
shishriyire = 3rd pers. pl. perfect shri: to go to , approach , resort or have recourse to (for help or refuge) , tend towards (acc.)
vanam (acc. sg.): n. forest