Mahabharata · 1.102.21–22
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रनष्टं शंतनोर् वंशं समीक्ष्य पुनर् उद्धृतम् ॥
ततो निर्वचनं लोके सर्वराष्ट्रेष्व् अवर्तत ॥
वीरसूनां काशिसुते देशानां कुरुजाङ्गलम् ॥
सर्वधर्मविदां भीष्मः पुराणां गजसाह्वयम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pranaṣṭaṃ śaṃtanor vaṃśaṃ samīkṣya punar uddhṛtam ||
tato nirvacanaṃ loke sarvarāṣṭreṣv avartata ||
vīrasūnāṃ kāśisute deśānāṃ kurujāṅgalam ||
sarvadharmavidāṃ bhīṣmaḥ purāṇāṃ gajasāhvayam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रनष्टं शंतनोः वंशं समीक्ष्य पुनः उद्धृतम्pranaṣṭaṃ śaṃtanoḥ vaṃśaṃ samīkṣya punaḥ uddhṛtamseeing the lineage of Shantanu, [once] destroyed and again restored
ततः निर्वचनं लोके सर्वराष्ट्रेषु अवर्ततtataḥ nirvacanaṃ loke sarvarāṣṭreṣu avartatathen throughout the world, in all kingdoms, a saying spread
वीरसूनां काशिसुते देशानां कुरुजाङ्गलम्vīrasūnāṃ kāśisute deśānāṃ kurujāṅgalam"among the mothers of heroes — the daughter of [the king of] Kashi; among lands — Kurujangala"
सर्वधर्मविदां भीष्मः पुराणां गजसाह्वयम्sarvadharmavidāṃ bhīṣmaḥ purāṇāṃ gajasāhvayam"among all knowers of dharma — Bhishma; among cities — Gajasahvaya (Hastinapura, "the city called Elephant")"
शंतनोर्śaṃtanororiginal form "śaṃtanor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुनर्punaroriginal form "punar", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वराष्ट्रेष्व्sarvarāṣṭreṣvoriginal form "sarvarāṣṭreṣv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Seeing the lineage of Shantanu, once extinguished and now restored, the world in every kingdom framed a saying: "Among the mothers of heroes — the daughter of the king of Kashi; among lands — Kurujangala; among all knowers of dharma — Bhishma; among cities — Gajasahvaya (Hastinapura)."
Version
da61762304d8 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:30:26 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the restoration of Shantanu's line is crowned with praise from the whole world. It is telling that a lineage so recently extinguished (after the untimely death of Satyavati's sons) is now so exalted that it becomes the standard of excellence: the best in every category is measured against the Kurus. Here providence is at work: what seemed lost is restored and glorified, for Bhishma safeguards this lineage, destined for a great role in the Lord's design. It is significant, too, that the saying honors a mother (the daughter of Kashi, who bore heroes), a land, a righteous man (Bhishma), and a city alike: prosperity shows itself in every dimension — of lineage, of land, of virtue, and of city-building. Bhishma is especially honored "among all knowers of dharma" — named the most perfect precisely in righteousness. Thus, before turning to the enthronement, the scripture solemnly sums up the golden age, affirming that a lineage restored by righteousness becomes the ornament of the world.