Mahabharata · 1.176.26–27
॥
Devanāgarī
मञ्चेषु च परार्ध्येषु पौरजानपदा जनाः ॥
कृष्णादर्शनतुष्ट्यर्थं सर्वतः समुपाविशन् ॥
ब्राह्मणैस् ते च सहिताः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन् ॥
ऋद्धिं पाञ्चालराजस्य पश्यन्तस् ताम् अनुत्तमाम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mañceṣu ca parārdhyeṣu paurajānapadā janāḥ ||
kṛṣṇādarśanatuṣṭyarthaṃ sarvataḥ samupāviśan ||
brāhmaṇais te ca sahitāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ samupāviśan ||
ṛddhiṃ pāñcālarājasya paśyantas tām anuttamām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मञ्चेषु च परार्ध्येषु पौरजानपदाः जनाःmañceṣu ca parārdhyeṣu paurajānapadāḥ janāḥand on the finest platforms, the people of the city and countryside
कृष्णादर्शनतुष्ट्यर्थं सर्वतः समुपाविशन्kṛṣṇādarśanatuṣṭyarthaṃ sarvataḥ samupāviśansat down all around, for the joy of beholding Krishna [Draupadi];
ब्राह्मणैः ते च सहिताः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्brāhmaṇaiḥ te ca sahitāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ samupāviśanand together with the brahmins, those Pandavas took their seats,
ऋद्धिं पाञ्चालराजस्य पश्यन्तः ताम् अनुत्तमाम्ṛddhiṃ pāñcālarājasya paśyantaḥ tām anuttamāmgazing upon that incomparable splendor of the Panchala king;
पौरजानपदाpaurajānapadāoriginal form "paurajānapadā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणैस्brāhmaṇaisoriginal form "brāhmaṇais", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पश्यन्तस्paśyantasoriginal form "paśyantas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"And on the finest platforms, the people of the city and countryside sat down all around, for the joy of beholding Krishna [Draupadi]; and together with the brahmins, those Pandavas took their seats, gazing upon that incomparable splendor of the Panchala king."
Version
c8a7110f8be6 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:37:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the hidden heroes sit unnoticed among the brahmins. It is telling that the Pandavas, to whom the prize is destined, are mingled with the crowd of worshippers and look on as mere onlookers: the greatest participants remain unseen within the assembly. Providence conceals its chosen ones until their hour of manifestation: the destined bridegroom sits in the crowd, unrecognized. Thus the scripture shows the humility of the Pandavas and the concealment of destiny; and among those longing merely to see Krishna sit those to whom she will in fact belong.