Mahabharata · 1.208.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
तद् अद्भुतं महद् दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः ॥
तां स्त्रियं परमप्रीत इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
का वै त्वम् असि कल्याणि कुतो वासि जलेचरी ॥
किमर्थं च महत् पापम् इदं कृतवती पुरा ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tad adbhutaṃ mahad dṛṣṭvā kuntīputro dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
tāṃ striyaṃ paramaprīta idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
kā vai tvam asi kalyāṇi kuto vāsi jalecarī ||
kimarthaṃ ca mahat pāpam idaṃ kṛtavatī purā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तत् अद्भुतं महत् दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीपुत्रः धनंजयःtat adbhutaṃ mahat dṛṣṭvā kuntīputraḥ dhanaṃjayaḥHaving beheld that great wonder, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya,
तां स्त्रियं परमप्रीतः इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत्tāṃ striyaṃ paramaprītaḥ idaṃ vacanam abravītgreatly delighted, spoke this word to that woman:
का वै त्वम् असि कल्याणि कुतः वा असि जलेचरीkā vai tvam asi kalyāṇi kutaḥ vā asi jalecarī"Who then are you, O gracious one, and whence are you, dweller in the waters?
किमर्थं च महत् पापम् इदं कृतवती पुराkimarthaṃ ca mahat pāpam idaṃ kṛtavatī purāand why did you commit this great sin before?"
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महद्mahadoriginal form "mahad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुन्तीपुत्रोkuntīputrooriginal form "kuntīputro", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
परमप्रीतparamaprītaoriginal form "paramaprīta", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुतोkutooriginal form "kuto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वासिvāsioriginal form "vāsi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Arjuna said: "Having beheld that great wonder, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, greatly delighted, spoke this word to that woman: 'Who then are you, O gracious one, and whence are you, dweller in the waters? And why did you commit this great sin before?'"
Version
320a59056d50 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the deliverer inquires into the cause of the former fall. It is significant that Arjuna asks not only 'who are you' but also 'why the sin': behind a wondrous deliverance lies hidden a tale of transgression and its fruit. Every suffering has its cause in a former deed. Thus the scripture reveals Arjuna's inquisitiveness; and the answer will disclose the law of retribution.