Mahabharata · 1.153.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
ततस् ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे सह कुन्त्या नरर्षभाः ॥
उपासां चक्रिरे विप्रं कथयानं कथास् तदा ॥
कथयाम् आस देशान् स तीर्थानि विविधानि च ॥
राज्ञां च विविधाश् चर्याः पुराणि विविधानि च ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tatas te pāṇḍavāḥ sarve saha kuntyā nararṣabhāḥ ||
upāsāṃ cakrire vipraṃ kathayānaṃ kathās tadā ||
kathayām āsa deśān sa tīrthāni vividhāni ca ||
rājñāṃ ca vividhāś caryāḥ purāṇi vividhāni ca ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे सह कुन्त्या नरर्षभाःtataḥ te pāṇḍavāḥ sarve saha kuntyā nararṣabhāḥThen all those Pandavas, bulls among men, together with Kunti,
उपासां चक्रिरे विप्रं कथयानं कथाः तदाupāsāṃ cakrire vipraṃ kathayānaṃ kathāḥ tadāgathered around, [listening to] the vipra who was telling tales;
कथयाम् आस देशान् सः तीर्थानि विविधानि चkathayām āsa deśān saḥ tīrthāni vividhāni cahe told of [various] countries and various tirthas,
राज्ञां च विविधाः चर्याः पुराणि विविधानि चrājñāṃ ca vividhāḥ caryāḥ purāṇi vividhāni caand of the various deeds of kings, and of various cities;
ततस्tatasoriginal form "tatas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कथास्kathāsoriginal form "kathās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विविधाश्vividhāśoriginal form "vividhāś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Then all those Pandavas, bulls among men, together with Kunti, gathered around the vipra who was telling tales; he told of various countries and various tirthas, of the various deeds of kings and of various cities."
Version
461ef4f5db9f · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the benefit of association with those who wander and know shows itself. It is significant that the Pandavas 'gather around' the guest, listening to his tales of lands, holy places, and kings: from the wandering brahmin flows knowledge of the world that cannot be gained in seclusion. Here is the value of good association (sat-sanga): from the mouth of the knowing one come both benefit and spiritual good. Significant too is the mention of tirthas among his tales: the speech of a sage naturally turns toward holy places. Thus the scripture shows that heeding a wise wanderer is itself dharma; and in this hospitable listening the unfolding of Draupadi's story is being prepared.