Mahabharata · 1.158.53–54
॥
Devanāgarī
गन्धर्व उवाच
संयोगो वै प्रीतिकरः संसत्सु प्रतिदृश्यते ॥
जीवितस्य प्रदानेन प्रीतो विद्यां ददामि ते ॥
त्वत्तो ह्य् अहं ग्रहीष्यामि अस्त्रम् आग्नेयम् उत्तमम् ॥
तथैव सख्यं बीभत्सो चिराय भरतर्षभ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gandharva uvāca
saṃyogo vai prītikaraḥ saṃsatsu pratidṛśyate ||
jīvitasya pradānena prīto vidyāṃ dadāmi te ||
tvatto hy ahaṃ grahīṣyāmi astram āgneyam uttamam ||
tathaiva sakhyaṃ bībhatso cirāya bharatarṣabha ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
संयोगः वै प्रीतिकरः संसत्सु प्रतिदृश्यतेsaṃyogaḥ vai prītikaraḥ saṃsatsu pratidṛśyateunion [meeting] is pleasant — [that] is seen in gatherings;
जीवितस्य प्रदानेन प्रीतः विद्यां ददामि तेjīvitasya pradānena prītaḥ vidyāṃ dadāmi terejoicing at the gift of [my] life, I give you the vidya;
त्वत्तः हि अहम् ग्रहीष्यामि अस्त्रम् आग्नेयम् उत्तमम्tvattaḥ hi aham grahīṣyāmi astram āgneyam uttamamfor from you I will receive the excellent weapon of Agni,
तथा एव सख्यं बीभत्सो चिराय भरतर्षभtathā eva sakhyaṃ bībhatso cirāya bharatarṣabhaand also friendship, O Bibhatsu, for a long time, O bull of the Bharata [race]';
गन्धर्वgandharvaoriginal form "gandharva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संयोगोsaṃyogooriginal form "saṃyogo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रीतोprītooriginal form "prīto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वत्तोtvattooriginal form "tvatto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ह्य्hyoriginal form "hy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अहंahaṃoriginal form "ahaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तथैवtathaivaoriginal form "tathaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
The gandharva said: 'Union is pleasant — this is seen in gatherings. Rejoicing that my life has been given back to me, I give you the vidya; for from you I will receive the excellent weapon of Agni, and also friendship for a long time, O Bibhatsu, bull of the Bharata race.'
Version
677ecc68c2fa · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the gift turns into a mutual exchange, and by this the honor of both is satisfied. It is telling that the gandharva, having understood Arjuna, offers not ransom but exchange: he gives the vidya and takes the weapon — the gift becomes reciprocal. Here it is seen that true friendship rests on mutuality, not on a favor owed: equals give to one another. Thus scripture shows how recent adversaries find equality in exchange and affection; and from battle an alliance is born, honorable to both.