Mahabharata · 1.196.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
श्रूयते हि पुरा कश् चिद् अम्बुवीच इति श्रुतः ॥
आसीद् राजगृहे राजा मागधानां महीक्षिताम् ॥
स हीनः करणैः सर्वैर् उच्छ्वासपरमो नृपः ॥
अमात्यसंस्थः कार्येषु सर्वेष्व् एवाभवत् तदा ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śrūyate hi purā kaś cid ambuvīca iti śrutaḥ ||
āsīd rājagṛhe rājā māgadhānāṃ mahīkṣitām ||
sa hīnaḥ karaṇaiḥ sarvair ucchvāsaparamo nṛpaḥ ||
amātyasaṃsthaḥ kāryeṣu sarveṣv evābhavat tadā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
श्रूयते हि पुरा कः चित् अम्बुवीचः इति श्रुतःśrūyate hi purā kaḥ cit ambuvīcaḥ iti śrutaḥFor it is heard that long ago there was one named Ambuvicha,
आसीत् राजगृहे राजा मागधानां महीक्षिताम्āsīt rājagṛhe rājā māgadhānāṃ mahīkṣitāmwho was king of the Magadhas in Rajagriha, one of the lords of the earth;
सः हीनः करणैः सर्वैः उच्छ्वासपरमः नृपःsaḥ hīnaḥ karaṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ ucchvāsaparamaḥ nṛpaḥthat king, bereft of all bodily faculties, able only to breathe,
अमात्यसंस्थः कार्येषु सर्वेषु एव अभवत् तदाamātyasaṃsthaḥ kāryeṣu sarveṣu eva abhavat tadādepended wholly, in every affair, upon his minister at that time;
कश्kaśoriginal form "kaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिद्cidoriginal form "cid", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अम्बुवीचambuvīcaoriginal form "ambuvīca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आसीद्āsīdoriginal form "āsīd", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वैर्sarvairoriginal form "sarvair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
उच्छ्वासपरमोucchvāsaparamooriginal form "ucchvāsaparamo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वेष्व्sarveṣvoriginal form "sarveṣv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एवाभवत्evābhavatoriginal form "evābhavat", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"It is heard that long ago there was one named Ambuvicha, who was king of the Magadhas in Rajagriha; that king, bereft of all bodily faculties and able only to breathe, depended then wholly, in every affair, upon his minister."
Version
ac1238c51730 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here Karna strains a parable to bolster his fatalism. It is significant that he chooses the example of a helpless king who entrusted everything to his minister: the tale is meant to prove that even the powerless will retain what is destined for him. Here it becomes visible that even a parable true in substance is brought forward with a cunning aim — to lull the king's vigilance. Thus scripture shows Karna's art of dressing intent as instruction; and beneath the tale lies his purpose.