Mahabharata · 1.194.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
इहैव वर्तमानास् ते समीपे तव पार्थिव ॥
अजातपक्षाः शिशवः शकिता नैव बाधितुम् ॥
जातपक्षा विदेशस्था विवृद्धाः सर्वशो ऽद्य ते ॥
नोपायसाध्याः कौन्तेया ममैषा मतिर् अच्युत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ihaiva vartamānās te samīpe tava pārthiva ||
ajātapakṣāḥ śiśavaḥ śakitā naiva bādhitum ||
jātapakṣā videśasthā vivṛddhāḥ sarvaśo 'dya te ||
nopāyasādhyāḥ kaunteyā mamaiṣā matir acyuta ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
इह एव वर्तमानाः ते समीपे तव पार्थिवiha eva vartamānāḥ te samīpe tava pārthivawhen they dwelt right here, close by you, O king,
अजातपक्षाः शिशवः शकिता न एव बाधितुम्ajātapakṣāḥ śiśavaḥ śakitā na eva bādhitumas fledgling infants, [and even then] you could not destroy them;
जातपक्षाः विदेशस्थाः विवृद्धाः सर्वशः अद्य तेjātapakṣāḥ videśasthāḥ vivṛddhāḥ sarvaśaḥ adya tefully feathered now, dwelling in a foreign land, grown in every way, —
न उपायसाध्याः कौन्तेयाः मम एषा मतिः अच्युतna upāyasādhyāḥ kaunteyāḥ mama eṣā matiḥ acyutathe Kaunteyas cannot be overcome by stratagem, such is my opinion, O unshakeable one;
इहैवihaivaoriginal form "ihaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्तमानास्vartamānāsoriginal form "vartamānās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नैवnaivaoriginal form "naiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
जातपक्षाjātapakṣāoriginal form "jātapakṣā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विदेशस्थाvideśasthāoriginal form "videśasthā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वशोsarvaśooriginal form "sarvaśo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽद्य'dyaoriginal form "'dya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नोपायसाध्याःnopāyasādhyāḥoriginal form "nopāyasādhyāḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कौन्तेयाkaunteyāoriginal form "kaunteyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ममैषाmamaiṣāoriginal form "mamaiṣā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मतिर्matiroriginal form "matir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"When they dwelt right here, close by you, as fledgling infants, you could not destroy them then; fully feathered now, dwelling in a foreign land, grown in every way — the Kaunteyas cannot be overcome by stratagem, such is my opinion."
Version
3f14b2f42f92 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the image of 'fledged birds' reveals the growth of those whom God protects. It is telling that they were not destroyed while defenseless, and now they have grown strong: Providence raised the Pandavas from weakness to strength, turning aside every blow. Here it is disclosed that one protected from above cannot be destroyed in his smallness, for the Lord's hand rests upon him. Thus the scripture reveals the futility of past schemes; and the Pandavas' grown strength is the fruit of divine shelter.