Mahabharata · 1.149.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
वैशंपायन उवाच
एवम् उक्तस् तु पृथया स विप्रो भार्यया सह ॥
हृष्टः संपूजयाम् आस तद् वाक्यम् अमृतोपमम् ॥
ततः कुन्ती च विप्रश् च सहिताव् अनिलात्मजम् ॥
तम् अब्रूतां कुरुष्वेति स तथेत्य् अब्रवीच् च तौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
evam uktas tu pṛthayā sa vipro bhāryayā saha ||
hṛṣṭaḥ saṃpūjayām āsa tad vākyam amṛtopamam ||
tataḥ kuntī ca vipraś ca sahitāv anilātmajam ||
tam abrūtāṃ kuruṣveti sa tathety abravīc ca tau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् उक्तः तु पृथया सः विप्रः भार्यया सहevam uktaḥ tu pṛthayā saḥ vipraḥ bhāryayā saha«thus instructed by Pritha, that vipra together with his wife,
हृष्टः संपूजयाम् आस तत् वाक्यम् अमृतोपमम्hṛṣṭaḥ saṃpūjayām āsa tat vākyam amṛtopamamrejoicing, praised that speech, like unto nectar;
ततः कुन्ती च विप्रः च सहितौ अनिलात्मजम्tataḥ kuntī ca vipraḥ ca sahitau anilātmajamthen Kunti and the vipra together, [turning] to the son of the Wind [Bhima],
तम् अब्रूताम् कुरुष्व इति सः तथा इति अब्रवीत् च तौtam abrūtām kuruṣva iti saḥ tathā iti abravīt ca tausaid to him: ‘do [this]’; and he said to them both: ‘so be it’
वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form «vaiśaṃpāyana», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
उक्तस्uktasoriginal form «uktas», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form «sa», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विप्रोviprooriginal form «vipro», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form «tad», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विप्रश्vipraśoriginal form «vipraś», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सहिताव्sahitāvoriginal form «sahitāv», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अब्रूतांabrūtāṃoriginal form «abrūtāṃ», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुरुष्वेतिkuruṣvetioriginal form «kuruṣveti», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form «sa», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तथेत्य्tathetyoriginal form «tathety», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अब्रवीच्abravīcoriginal form «abravīc», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Vaishampayana said: «Thus instructed by Pritha, the vipra, rejoicing together with his wife, praised that speech, like unto nectar. Then Kunti and the vipra together said to the son of the Wind: ‘Do this,’ and he answered them both: ‘So be it.’»
Version
587fdbab7113 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:09:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here despair gives way to joy, and resolve to obedience. Telling is that Kunti's word is called ‘like nectar’: it revives hope in the doomed, as amrita revives life. Telling, too, is Bhima's brief assent: ‘so be it’ — without questions, without hesitation; the son is obedient to his mother and ready for labor on behalf of strangers. Here is the joy of devoted service: Bhima neither bargains nor exalts himself, but simply accepts the charge to shield the defenseless. Thus the scripture reveals the perfection of obedience joined to valor: the mother commands, the son fulfills; and in this accord the deliverance of a whole region from the devourer is prepared.