Mahabharata · 1.160.40–41
॥
Devanāgarī
ताम् अन्विच्छन् स नृपतिः परिचक्राम तत् तदा ॥
वनं वनजपत्राक्षीं भ्रमन्न् उन्मत्तवत् तदा ॥
अपश्यमानः स तु तां बहु तत्र विलप्य च ॥
निश्चेष्टः कौरवश्रेष्ठो मुहूर्तं स व्यतिष्ठत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tām anvicchan sa nṛpatiḥ paricakrāma tat tadā ||
vanaṃ vanajapatrākṣīṃ bhramann unmattavat tadā ||
apaśyamānaḥ sa tu tāṃ bahu tatra vilapya ca ||
niśceṣṭaḥ kauravaśreṣṭho muhūrtaṃ sa vyatiṣṭhata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ताम् अन्विच्छन् सः नृपतिः परिचक्राम तत् तदाtām anvicchan saḥ nṛpatiḥ paricakrāma tat tadāSeeking her, that king circled the place then,
वनं वनजपत्राक्षीं भ्रमन् उन्मत्तवत् तदाvanaṃ vanajapatrākṣīṃ bhraman unmattavat tadāseeking the forest-lotus-eyed one, roaming through the woods like a madman;
अपश्यमानः सः तु तां बहु तत्र विलप्य चapaśyamānaḥ saḥ tu tāṃ bahu tatra vilapya canot finding her, and having lamented much there,
निश्चेष्टः कौरवश्रेष्ठः मुहूर्तं सः व्यतिष्ठतniśceṣṭaḥ kauravaśreṣṭhaḥ muhūrtaṃ saḥ vyatiṣṭhatamotionless, the best of the Kurus stood still for a moment;
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भ्रमन्न्bhramannoriginal form "bhramann", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कौरवश्रेष्ठोkauravaśreṣṭhooriginal form "kauravaśreṣṭho", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Seeking her, the forest-lotus-eyed one, the king circled that place, roaming through the woods like a madman; and, not finding her, and having lamented much there, the best of the Kurus stood motionless for a moment."
Version
c24238b29f8d · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the anguish of separation (viraha) shows itself. Notable is that the majestic king wanders "like a madman" and grows numb: the loss of the beloved robs one of reason and strength -- such is the suffering of the separated. Here glimmers a faint reflection of the higher longing: as the king pines for the vanished maiden, so the soul pines in separation from the Lord; and this very anguish turns into ardent yearning. Thus the verse reveals the power of loving longing; and Samvarana's stupor is a sign of how deeply the destined meeting has struck him.