Mahabharata · 1.202.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
निवृत्तयज्ञस्वाध्याया प्रणष्टनृपतिद्विजा ॥
उत्सन्नोत्सवयज्ञा च बभूव वसुधा तदा ॥
हाहाभूता भयार्ता च निवृत्तविपणापणा ॥
निवृत्तदेवकार्या च पुण्योद्वाहविवर्जिता ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nivṛttayajñasvādhyāyā praṇaṣṭanṛpatidvijā ||
utsannotsavayajñā ca babhūva vasudhā tadā ||
hāhābhūtā bhayārtā ca nivṛttavipaṇāpaṇā ||
nivṛttadevakāryā ca puṇyodvāhavivarjitā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
निवृत्तयज्ञस्वाध्याया प्रणष्टनृपतिद्विजाnivṛttayajñasvādhyāyā praṇaṣṭanṛpatidvijāwith sacrifices and Vedic study ceased, its kings and brahmins perished,
उत्सन्नोत्सवयज्ञा च बभूव वसुधा तदाutsannotsavayajñā ca babhūva vasudhā tadāwith festivals and sacrifices abolished, the earth then became;
हाहाभूता भयार्ता च निवृत्तविपणापणाhāhābhūtā bhayārtā ca nivṛttavipaṇāpaṇāfull of wailing, tormented by fear, with trade and commerce ceased,
निवृत्तदेवकार्या च पुण्योद्वाहविवर्जिताnivṛttadevakāryā ca puṇyodvāhavivarjitāwith worship of the gods ceased, deprived of blessed [sacred] marriages;
Translation
"With sacrifices and Vedic study ceased, its kings and brahmins perished, with festivals and sacrifices abolished, the earth then became full of wailing, tormented by fear, with trade and commerce ceased, with worship of the gods ceased, deprived of blessed sacred marriages."
Version
facbb9122535 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the whole sacred and social order collapses. It is telling that everything perishes along with the sacrifice — learning, trade, marriage, worship: the trampling of dharma brings the disintegration of all of life. Here it is revealed that yajña and dharma are the backbone of the world, and without them everything collapses. Thus the scripture shows a universal decline; and lawlessness lays bare what had held order together.